IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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I.I 


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1^128 


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m  III  u  1 1.6 


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Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  SltiElfT 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(7f6)  873-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiq 


ues 


Technicai  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniquas  at  b'bliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faa^uras  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  ima$|as  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
the  usual  mathod  of  filming,  are  chackad  balow. 


a 


Colourad  covers/ 
Couvertura  de  couiaur 


□    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


^ouverture  endommagte 


Covers  restored  and/cr  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  at/ou  pallicul^te 


I      I    Cover  ^itle  missing/ 


La  titre  de  couv^irture  m;inque 
Coloured  maps/ 


□    Coloured  m 
Cartes  giof 


graphiquas  sr^  couiaur 

nk  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  piatM  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Bound  with  othtvr  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autt-es  ciocuin(»nts 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  maigin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  pout  causer  da  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
dial  >rsion  la  long  da  la  marge  int^rioure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omined  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  la  texte, 
mais.  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  cas  pages  n'ont 
pas  itt  film^as. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentairer.- 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  meilleur  exemplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtta  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvant  modifier 
una  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvant  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normaia  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


r~l   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagias 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur^es  at/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoioursd.  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  dicolories,  tachaties  ou  piquAas 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inigala  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materia 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimantaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


j      I  Pages  damaged/ 

r~|  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~7|  Pages  discoioursd.  stained  or  foxed/ 

j      I  Pages  detached/ 

rri  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

r~l  Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  er*-ata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partieilemant 
obscurcies  par  un  fauillet  d'errata.  una  palure, 
etc..  ont  M  film^es  A  nouveau  de  fapon  i 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checkec  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 

I — I — \ — I — \ — I — \ — I — I — I — \ — I — r  -r 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


A 


2AX 


2IX 


u 

32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Seminary  of  Quebec 
Library 


L'exemplaira  filmi  fut  reprodult  grice  ji  la 
ginirositt  de: 

SJminaire  de  Quebec 
Bibliothdque 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filmiing  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  fMmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  iilustratfid  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  iti  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compts  tenj  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettet*  de  rexemplaire  film6.  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fiimage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  fllmte  en  commen9ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni^re  page  qui  comporte  una  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  cutres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniirs  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
eymbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


IVIaps.  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
fllmte  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diffire'.its. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reprodult  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmi  i  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  baa,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'lmages  nicassaire.  Los  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

e  .» 


V. 


•h 


s*. 


LOUISIANA; 


m 


COLONIAL   HISTOfiY 


« 

i 


at 


CHARLES   axlYAURE. 


NEW  YORK: 

HARPER    (i:  iniOTIIERS. 

1851. 


Ed1««I,  MeoiJtoB  to  Art  of  C.ns««,  to  ui.  ^4^,  li-M, 
BV  IM&rm  *  BUOtllERS, 


1. 


COMTENf S 


PIKST  SERIES. 


FIRST  LECTURE. 


Wtgt 


Primltivo  State  of  the  Country--Expeditu,n  c,f  Do  Soto  h  1539-Ht« 
Doath-D..sc.oyery  of  the  Mississippi  i„  Mm,  l,y  Fathor  Murquetto 
*l.d  jrol,et-fl,cyare  follow,.]  i„  1682  by  USnile  and  the  CJ.evaliep 
ae  l«uU-^ssiiasiiiatiouofLaSulle,      .        .  •• 

SECOND  LECTURE. 

Arrivat  of  I!,m-il!o  nn.!  Hienville-Setd.Mnont  of  «  Frenc!,  Cotony  in 
Louisjanu-Sauvolle.   /irst   (Jovornor-Kvo.its   and    Characters    in 

rrr';""l'r,*°'""'^"^  ''^"'  ^''"*  ^"'""i''  ^"^""^  ^'  Salle's  Death,  in 
Iba7,toi70l, 3Q 

THIRD  LECTURE. 

Situation  of  the  Colony  fron,  I70I  to  1712_The  Petticoat  Insurrection 
-History  and  Death  of  Ihorville-IJienviile,  the  second  (Jovernor  oi 
Lou.s.ana-II,story  of  Anthony  Cro^at,  the  great  Banker-Coneea- 
aiou  oi  A,omsiana  to  him 


FOURTH  LECTURE. 

Lainothc  Cadillac,  Oovernor  of  Lonisiana-Sitnation  of  the  Colony  In 
M3_Feud  between  Cadillac  and  JJicnville-Character  of  RiL- 


!"C'!""'   '''^I"''li"""  "S''i"«l  the   Natchez-De   rEninay 
ceeds  Caddlac-The  Ch.rate  de  la  Vente-Expedition  o    «t  .,en.. 
to  Mex.oo-II,s  Adventnres-.lallot,  the  Surgeon-lu  i717  CrozII 
gives  up  his  Charter-llis  Death,    .        .  "i  ^  ^7  Crozut 


aucii 
Denis 


.        •    .     .» 
I      ^     *  f 


SECOND  SERIES. 


FIRST  LECTURE. 

the  Colonuation  of  Loui.a„a-lL    v~fll^^t  "i''"^  '■"  "'"'"^'^  '^'^ 
^IIi«tor,  of  Uw  fro.  J,i.  Birtito  I"  pLr;'  ^^^^"^  f  ^^f '»«  ^^ 

SECOND  LECTURE. 

Bienville  appointc.!  Governor  of  Louispm-i  for  ff,„  ^  x-       . 

place  of  I/Epinay-Foundntion  r^  M       n  '''"""^  *""*-*' '"  *^» 

Denis,  Beaulion,  ,n,l  Xt   o  ^If "  "'■''— Expodition  of  St; 

Land  Conees.io  s-S  !tr  de  T^  ,  .>'"''"'^  °'  ^'  ^''"''^ 
>-The  Spaniards  .x.a  ^  .t  Z^  1  l'^;-aeoiabytl.e  French 
again  taken  bv  tbe  F  v  '  t^  '"  """'''"'"■  f^'-^^-I^ensacoI^ 
byBienville-TheClc  ~d  T  "'  ''"  ''""""•>' "'^  ^'-^'^■'ibecl 
ges  in  the  Or.ani  Lui  „  o  r''""  "'"  ''""•^"  I'--aut-Chan. 

-erce-Advent^      2^     Li^    n  V"^' '"  ^^■'^"'"•■>  ^"  ^^'-' 

-Other  Facts  and  eII;!  tr^^ZJ^"''  '^  ^^^^  ^^^-^  ^ 

339 


THIRD  LECTURE 

1  UULl    Ot  tllO  LllOCf.'UVS.nn,J  ru:„K 


cline 
asaws, 


i  Choctaws  and  Chick. 


293 


FOURTH  LECTURE. 


Transfer  of  the  Hpit  ^e  r* 

oi  ineiseatot  Government  to  Now  Orl<>nn=    n    n      ,    . 
and  Appparanee  in  1724-Boi.bri.,nf  r         ^"'"""-^t«  Population 


CONTENiai  ff 

•sry—TTe  f  rinmpTis  ©vor  them  alt— Republicanism  of  the  Colonies— 
The  Ursuline  Nuns  iiiid  the  Jesuits— Public  Improvements  made  of 
contemplated  by  Governor  Ptrier— Census  in  1727— Expenses  of  . 
the  Colonial  Administration— Edict  of  Henry  the  Second  against' 
Unmarried  Women— Oilier  Facts  and  Events  from  1723  to  1727— 
Traditions  on  the  Music  heard  at  the  mouth  of  Pascagoula  River, 
andfin  the  Date-tree  at  the  corner  of  Dauphine  and  Orleans  Streets,  359 


FIFTH  liECTURE. 

Arrival  of  tTie  Casket  Girls— Royal  Ordinance  relative  to  the  Conces. 
»ionsof  Lands— Manner  of  settling  the  Succession  of  Frenchmen 
married  to  Indian  Women— French  Husbands— Indian  Wives— His. 

.  tory  of  Madame  Dubois,  an  Indian  Squaw— Conspiracy  of  the  NaU 
Chez  ag-aiiist  the  French— xMassacre  of  the  French  at  Natchez  in  1729 
—Massacre  of  the  French  at  the  Yazoo  Settlement  in  1730— Altjick 
of  the  Natchez  against  the  French  Settlement  at  Natchitothes— They 
are  beaten  by  St.  Denis— The  French  and  Choetaws  attack  the  Nat- 
Chez— Daring  and  Deiith  of  Navarre  and  of  some  of  his  companions 
—Siege  of  the  Natchez  Forts— Flight  of  the  Natchez— Cruel  TreaU 
ment  of  Natciiez  Prisoners  by  (iovernor  Perier— Desperation  of  the 
Natchez— The  Ciiickasaws  grant  an  Asylum  to  the  Natchez— Con. 
spiracy  of  the  Banbara  Negroes— List  of  the  Principal  Ofiicers  in  the 
Colony  in  1730 ggg 


SIXTH   LECTURE, 

Expedition  of  Perier  against  the  Natchez— He  goes  up  Red  River  and 
Black  River  in  pursuit  of  them— Siege  of  their  Fort^Most  of  them 
are  taken  Prisoners  and  sold  as  Slaves— Continuation  of  the  Natchez 
War— The  India  Company  surrenders  it:i  Charter— Ordinances  on 
the  Currency  of  the  Country- Bienville  reappointed  Governor— Sit- 
untion  of  the  Colony  at  that  time— The  Natchez  take  Refuge  among 
the  Chickasaws— Great  Rise  of  theAIississippi  :iiid  (ieneral  Inunda- 
tion—Extraordinary Number  of  Mad  Dogs— Expedition  of  Bienville 
against  the  Chickasaws— He  attacks  their  Villuges— Battle  of  Ackia 
—Daring  Exploit  of  the  black  man,  Simon— Bienville  is  beaten  and 
forced  to  retreat— Expedition  of  D'Artaguette  against  the  Chick- 
Bsaws— His  Defeat  and  Death— History  of  John  Philip  Grondel— 
Other  Events  and  Facts  from  1729  to  1736,    . 


44a 


...  I 


ill 


fl 


cojrrENTs, 


CEYENTH  LECTTJRE. 

ilfljrof  AgncuTture  in  t73(J^Excu,ptio„  from  Dutre,«„  certain  ArtL 
Cles  of  Importation  and  Exportation-War  between  thprh  f^ 
and  rinclca.saw.s-Sin,n.!ar  Judicial  ProeeeL^i^  1738     H      t^ 

is  recalled  to  France     IiTa     T  """'^ ''  '•'^f"««d-Bien vill« 

to  1743,  VaudreuU-Other  FacU  and  £v<;nUfrom  1735 


I 

II 


603 


f££FAGE, 


If  eTepyman's  fife  were  closely  analyzed,  accicfent,  or  wTiat 
seems  to  be  so  to  human  apprehension,  and  what  usually  goes 
lt3'  that  name,  whatever  it  may  really  be,  would  be  discovered 
to  act  a  more  eonspicuous  part  and  to  possess  a  more  control. 
Img  mtluonce  than  preconception,  and  that  volition  which  pro- 
ceeds from  long-meditated  design.     My  writing  the  history  of 
Louisiana,  from  the  expedition  of  De  .Soto  in  1539,  to  the  final 
and  complete   establishment  of  the  Spanish  government  in 
17bJ,   after  a  spirited  resistance  from   the  French  colonists, 
was  owing  to  an  accidental  circumstance,  which,  in  the  shape 
of  disease,  drove  me  from  a  seat  I  had  lately  obtained  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States,  but  which,  to  mv  intense  re-ret, 
1  had  not  the  good  fortune  to  occupy.     Travelin-  for  health 
not  from  free  agency,  but  a  slave  to  compulsion,  I  dwelt  sev! 
eral  years  in  France.     In  the  peculiar  state  in  which  my  mind 
then  was,  if  its  attention  had  not  been  forcibly  diverted  from 
what  It  brooded  over,  the  anguish  under  which  it  sickened, 
irom  many  causes,  would  soon  have  not  been  endurable      I 
.sought  for  a  remedy :  I  looked  into  musty  arehives-I  gather, 
ed  materials-and  subsequently  became  a  historian,  or  rather 
a  mere  pretender  to  that  name. 

_  Last  year,  as  circumstance  or  accident  would  have  it,  I  was 
mvited  by  the  managers  of  the  People's  Lyceum  to  deliver  a 
Lecture  before  their  Society.  The  invitation  was  flattering, 
but  came  in  a  most  inopportune  moment.  The  Legislature 
was  then  in  session,  and,  as  Secretary  of  State,  my  duties  and 
my  daily  relations  with  the  members  of  that  honorable  bodv 
vvere  such  as  to  allow  me  very  little  leisure.  I  could  not  de. 
cline,  however,  the  honor  conferred  upon  me;    and  with  a. 


M  ll 


4i 


via 


'BKFAOm 


mm  engrossod  ly  ether  .u!.Ject.s,  «„<!  with  •  huniei  pen,  I 

wrote   he  first  Lecture,  vlilch  is  „ovr  introduced  to  the  rSe, 
a     heleadH,<.onointhi,svoIu.ne.     It  happened  to  gr^eJltiJ 

pS'w.t^'f  r^*:^'^r  ^'^^^''^^^'""^  their  clcsireU:^ 
plied  with     and  m  the  June  and  July  nu.nbers  of  Do  Bo  J. 

fortrT>"'  .  t"'*'^  ''''''''-'  whichlhaddeliteaT. 
fore  the  1  eoplc'«  Lyceum  made  its  appearance.  I  attached  st 
h    le  unportance  to  this  trifling  production,  the  offspr  n    of  an 

it  elicit   .7  *'  ''''  ^  ^^-^  ""^^'^  — ^  -t  the' i LrS 
t  ehcted  from  newspapers,  in  which  it  w.s  copied  at  lenT 
in  several  parts  of  the  United  States.  ^  ^    ' 

What !  said  I  to  myself,  am  I  an  unnatural  father,  and  hi, 
my  cluld  more  merit  than  1  i.nagined  ?  As  I  was  pond  It, 
upon  thjs  grave  question,  the  last  epidemic  took  pos'::  | 
IVew  Orleans  by  storm.     If  I  ventured  into  the  streets  fori 

^  4.I.-       ,         •'^  '^t,  and   iny  eyes  were  OTeete.l   ivifK 

rtam'd    !  f "  "="''  ,°-'  '^•^'■^'  ^'''^^^^'  -^  ^-- '      a 
remamed  at  home,  seeking  tranquillity  under  the  protection  of 

n\^::t;f  o^tf  ^^'r^'^"^^^^'-*  visitorsCldtn 
in,   and  talk  of  nothmg  else  but  of  the  dying  and  the  dead 

up  my  servant  George  to  my  august  presence,  I  said  to  him 
G^corge,  you  are  a  great  rascal,  are  you  not   "     ^<  Maste     i 

do  not  know  oxactiv  "  renlinr?  i,«  ^  i  •      ,  •  -^^'^ster,  l 

"Well    I  do  1-n        ?'  .^    '  '  '"'^tchmg  his  woolly  head. 

Well   I  do  know  it,  George,  and  I  am  pleased  to  give  vou 

ha    wholesome  mformation.     But  no  matter,  I  forgifyou  » 

-  Thank  you,  master."     ^<  I  deserve  no  thanks  for  wLtlC't 

milk  is  on  th    fi.  Tt  ^""^  '^°"^^  '^"'^«  '^^«t«'  for  tha 

,Tnon  +1         n         '  """^  ^  "'"  "^'■"'^  i*  ^^''"  i^^il  over."     ^<  Out 
up  n  the  milk,  man,  and  listen  to  me  with  all  the  mi^lit  of 
your  African  ear.s."     George  took  an  attitude  of  mixed    m 
patience  and  resignation,  and  I  continued,  with  mo"  marke^l" 

what  reasonaLrcau        P       ","  7''  '"  *"°  ^°"«^^^'  ^^ 
-e  back  with  trr^;t-—^^^^ 


I    i 


-i 


^wm  totlsfiel  vrlfh  jcnr  •xpertment  of  tiiat  great  blessina 
fteedom,  ftnd  that  you  WouTd-jiot -try  it  any  rnorof-  Do  not 
hmg  Jown  your  thick  hoad,  as  if  you  meant  to  push  ft 
through  that  big  chest  of  yours ;  but  keep  this  in  mina  :  if,  lot 
•  Whole  week,  you  allow  any  human  body  to  ewss  'mj 
threshold,  I  swear  (and  you  knov^r  I  always  keep  my  vvord| 
that  I'll  kick  you  away  to  the  abolitionists.  Now  vanish  froio 
my  sight.'*  What  impression  this  order  produced  on  ihii 
mserable  stave,  I  do  not  know,  but  it  was  strictly  executed, 

After  I  had  dismissed  my  sablo  attendant,  i  found  myself 
in  the  same  situation  that  many  people  frequently  fmd  them- 
Belves  in.  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  myself.  I  had 
neither  a  wife  nor  children  to  quarrel  with  j  and  as  to  ser- 
vants, I  hate  scolding  thom^I  reserve  that  for  their  beUors. 
As  to  my  books,  I  thought  I  had  the  right  to  indulge  toward 
them  in  any  of  the  capricious  whims  of  a  lover,  and  1  bent 
upou  their  tempting  and  friendly  faces  a  scowling  look  cf  de- 
fiance. One  thing  was  settled  in  my  mind ;— I  was  detor- 
ininod  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  laziness,  and  to  be,  for  a  while, 
an  indolent,  unthinking  sort  of  animal,  the  good-for-nothing 
Chdd  of  a  southern  latitude.  So,  I  thrust  my  hands  into  the 
pockets  of  my  morning-gown,  and  lounged  through  every  room 
in  my  house,  staring  curiously  at  every  object^  as  if  it  had 
been  new  to  my  eyes. 

For  some  time,  I  amused  myself  with  my  small  gallery  of 
pamtmgs,  and  with  a  variety  of  trifles,  which  are  the  pickings 
of  my  traveling  days.  But  alas  I  with  some  of  them  are  con- 
nected  pamful  recollections  of  the  past;  and,  much  to  my  ro. 
gret,  i  discovered  that  my  soul,  which  I  thought  I  had  buried 
ten  fathoms  deep  in  the  abyss  of  matter,  was  beginning 
to  predominate  again  in  my  mixed  nature.  I  hastily  turned 
my  eyes  from  a  contemplation,  which  had  interfered  with  the 
much  coveted  ease  of  the  brute  ;  but,  as  fate  would  have  it, 
they  settled  upon  some  ancestral  portraits.  As  I  gazed  at 
thorn,  I  became  abstracted,  until  it  really  seemed  to  r^e  that  I 
saw  a  sorrowful  expression  steal  over  their  features,  as  they 
looked  at  the  last  descendant  of  their  race.  I  became  moody, 
and  felt  that  one  of  my  dark  fits  was  coming  on. 
What  was  to  be  done?    I  was  placed  in  this  awkward 


^i,,i .. 


PREFACE. 


If'i 


i 


dilemma,  either   to   eject  my  brains   from   my  skull,  or  to 
stupefy  them.     But  my  pi.stols  were  not  loaded,  and  the  exer- 
tion    to   do  so  would  liavo    been  too  great  with  Fahrenheit 
at   lUO.      I   felt  tempted  to  get  drunk,   but  unfortunately  I 
can  bear  no  other  beverage  than  watej .     Smoking  would,  per. 
haps,  Lave  answered  the  purpose,  if  my  attempts  at  acquiring 
that    attamment   and    all  the  other   qualifications  connected 
with  the  use  of  tobacco,  had  not  resulted  in  a  sick  stomach 
1  was  in  this  unpleasant  state  of  cogitation,  when  that  num. 
ber  of  De  Bow's  B.eview  which  contains  my  Lecture  on  the 
Romance  of  the  History  of  Louisiana,  caught  my  sight,  as  it 
was  lymg  on  my  writing  desk.     I  picked  it  up,  and  began  to 
fondle  my  bantling:    of  course,  I  became  interested,  and  all 
my  morbm  feelings  vanished,  as  it  were,  by  magic.     Oh  !  how 
charming  it  is  to  have  a  family  !     Ladies,  which  of  you  will 
have  me  ?  /  * 

But  I  must  not  wander  from  my  subject.  I  say,  then,  that 
I  had  in  my  left  hand  De  Bow's  Review,  and,  I  do  not  know 
how,  the  right  one  imperceptibly  exercised  some  sort  of  ma-- 
netic  influence  over  my  pen,  which  was  reposing  close  by, 
and  which  (lew  to  its  lingers,  where  it  stuck.  A  few  minutes 
alter  It  was  dipped  in  ink,  and  running  over  paper  at  the  rate 
ot  liify  railes  an  hour,  and  raising  as  much  smoke  as  any  loco, 
motive  in  the  country. 

The  three  other  Lectures,  which  I  submit  now  to  the  con. 
SKlerat.on  of  the  reader,  are  the  result  of  the  concatenation  of 
accidents  or  circumstances  which  I  have  related. 

When  I  had  finished  my  composition,  like  most  people  who 
act  hrst  and  then  set  themselves  to  thinking,  I  began  to  <r-uess, 
as  some  ot  iny  Yankee  friends  would  say,  whether  I  could  not 
apply  the  truits  uf  my  labor  to  so-ue  practical  purpose.     1  had 
achieved  one  thing,  it  is  true— I  had  rendered  seclusion  pleas- 
ant to  myself;   but  could  I  not  do  more  ?     W.uld  there  not 
be  sweet  satisfaction  in  extracting  something  useful  to  my  fel. 
low-eitizens  from  the  careless  and  unpretending  eflusions,  the 
oojeet  ol  which  had  originally  been  to  accelerate  the  l!i.rht  of 
r,   lew   heavy  hours,  which    I  descried  at  a  short  distance, 
coming  upon  me  with  their  leaden  wings  and  their  gouty  feet! 
lo  write  history,  is  to  narrate  events,  and  to  show  their 


f 


PREFACE. 


XI 


I 


philosophy,  when  they  arc  susceptible  of  any  such  demonstra- 
tion.     When  the  subject  is  worthy  of  it,  this  is  a  kind  of  com- 
position  of  the  highest  order,  and  which  affords  to  genius  an 
ample  scope  for  the  display  of  all  its  powers.     But  the  infor- 
mation  so  conveyed,  is  limited  to  the  few,  because  not  suited 
to  the  intelligence  of  the  many.     The  number  of  those  who 
have   read    Tacitus,  Hume,    Gibbon,  or    Clarendon,  is  com- 
paratively small,  when  opposed  to  those  who  have  pored  with 
delight  over  the  fascinating  pages  of  Walter  Scott.     To  relate 
events,  and,  instead  of  elucidating  and  analyzing  their  phi- 
losojjhy,  like  the  historian,  to  point  out  the  hidden  sources  of 
romance  which  spring  from  them— to  show  what  materials 
they  contain   for  the  dramatist,  the   novelist,  the  poet,  the 
painter,  and  for  all  the  varied  conceptions  of  the  fine  arts— is 
perhaps  an  humbler  task,  but  not  without  its  utility.     When 
history    is   not    disfigured    by    inappropriate    invention,    but 
merely  embellished  and  made  attractive  by  being  set  in  a  glit. 
tering  frame,  this  artful  preparation  honies  the  °cup  of  useful 
knowledge,  and  makes  it  acceptable  to  the  lips  of  the  multi- 
tude.     Through  the  immortal  writings  of  Walter  Scott,  many 
have  become  familiar  with  historical  events,  and  have  been 
induced   to    study   more    serious    works,   who,  without  that 
tempting  bait,  would  have  turned  away  from  what  appeared 
to  them  to  be  but  a  dry  and  barren  field,  too  unpromising  to 
mvite  examination,  much  less  cultivation.     To  the  bewitching 
pen  of  the  wonderful  magician  of  her  romantic  hills,  Scotland 
owes  more  for  the  popular  ext-nision  of  her  fame,  than  to  the 
doings  of  the  united  host  of  all  her  other  writers,  warriors,  and 
statesmen. 

It  was  in  pursuing  such  a  train  of  reasoning,  that  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  publication  of  these  Lectures  might 
show  what  romantic  interest  there  is  in  the  history  of  Louisi- 
ana ;  that  it  might  invite  some  to  an  investigation  which,  so 
far,  they  perhaps  thought  would  not  repay  them  for  the 
trouble;  and  (,.  study  with  fondness  what  hitherto  had  been 
to  them  an  object  of  disdainful  neglect.  I  have  attempted  to 
accumulate  and  to  heap  up  together  materials  for  the  use  of 
more  skillful  architects  than  I  am,  and  have  contented  my.self 
With  drawing   the   faint    outlines   of  literary   compositions, 


fa 


PREFACE. 


which,  if  filled  up  hy  the  hand  of  genius,  would  do  for 
Louisiana,  on  a  smaller  soale,  what  has  been  done  for  Scot- 
land ;  would  encircle  her  waist  with  the  magic  zone  of  Ro- 
mance, and  give  her  those  letters-patent  of  nobility,  whicli  are 
recorded  forever  in  the  temple  of  Fame.  An  humble  janitor, 
I  have  opened  the  door  to  those  realms  where  flit  the  dim 
sliadows  of  the  dead,  v.'hich  are  said  to  be  anxious  to  resume 
life,  and  which,  to  the  delight  of  the  world,  and  to  the  glorifi^ 
cation  of  my  native  land,  might,  at  the  command  of  some  in. 
spired  bard,  be  made  to  reanimate  their  deserted  bodies. 

Ad  fln.vium  (Mississippi)  Deus  evocat  aginine  rangno, 
Scilicet  immemores  supera  ut  convexa  revisant 

Rursus  et  incipiant  in  corpora  vcllo  reverti. 

Virgil. 

I  give  to  the  world  these  nugm  sericc  for  what  they  are 
worth.     As  a  pastime,  I  began    vith  shooting  arrows  at  ran- 
dom, and  then,  gathering  inspiration  from  the  growing  anima* 
tion  of  the  sport,  I  aimed  at  a  particular  object.     If  the  by- 
standers should  think  that  I  have  not  shot  too  far  wide  of  the 
mark — if  the  public,  pleased  with  one  or  two  good  hits,  should 
put  on  his  white  kid  gloves,  and  coming  up  to  me  with  the 
high-bred  courtesy  of  a  gentleman,  should  exchange  a  polite 
bow,  and  by  way  of  encouragement,  should  utter  those  deli, 
oate  compliments  which,  whether  true  or  not,  do  honor  to  the 
donor  and  to  the  donee,  (ibr  I  hate  vulgar  praise  and  coarse 
incense,)  I  shall  deem  it  my  duty  to  cultivate  an  acquaint, 
ance,  which  may  ripen  into  friendship,  and  I  may,  in  my  en. 
deavors    to   deserve    it,  publish  another    series    of  Lectures. 
Well-meant  criticism,  I  shall  delight  in,  as  a  means  of  im- 
provement ;  vituperation,  I  do  not  anticipate  from  one  of  m 
gentle  blood ;  but  absolute  silence,  I  shall  consider  as  a  broad 
hint  not  to  importune  him  any  more,  and  I  ])romise  to  act  ae* 
oordingly.     The  more  so,  that  from  the  lessons  of  experienc.?, 
and  from  knowledge  of  the  workl,  I  feel  every  day  more  dis. 
posed  to  ensconce  myself  within  a  nut-shell,  and  that  my  am. 
bition  has  dwindled  so  much  in  its  proportions,  that  it  would 
bo  satLsfied  to  rest   forever,  "■sub  teg-mine  fagt,"  with  the 
commission  of  overseer  of  a  parish  road. 
New  OaLEANs,  March  1, 184b. 


PKEFACE 


TO   IHE    SECOND    SERIES. 


The  success  of  my  «'  Romance  of  the  History  of  Louisiana," 
from  the  discovery  of  that  country  by  Soto,  to  the  surrender 
hy  Crozat  of  tlie  charter  which  he  had  obtained  from  Louis 
the  XlVth,  in  relation  to  that  French  Colony,  has  been  such, 
that  I  deem  it  my  duty  toward  my  patrons  to  resume  my  pen, 
and  to  present  the  following  work  to  their  kind  and  friendly 
regard.  When  I  wrote  the  precedent  one,  I  said,  while  I 
mentally  addressed  the  public ; 

"Right,  I  note,  most  mighty  souveraine, 

Tliat  all  tlii3  famous  antique  history 

Of  some  th'  aboundance  of  an  idle  braine 

Will  judged  bo,  and  painted  forgery, 

Bather  than  matter  of  just  memory." 

Si'ENSKR.     Faerie  Qucene, 

Kor  was  T  mistaken :— for  I  was  informed  that  many  had 
taken  for  the  invention  of  the  brain  what  was  but  historical 
truth  set  in  a  gilded  frame,  when,  to  use  the  expressions  of 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  I  had  taken  but  insignificant  liberties 
with  facts,  to  interest  my  readers,  and  make  my  narra^oa 
more  delightful,  in  imitation  of  the  painter  who,  though  his 
work  is  called  histori/  painting;,  gives  in  reality  a  poetical 
representation  of  facts.  The  reader  will  easily  perceive,  that 
in  the  present  production,  I  have  been  more  sparing  of  cmbel- 
lishments,  although  "  /  ivcH  noted,  ivith  that  worthy  geut^. 


:l'l 


'  11 


XlV 


I'REFAOB. 


mm,  Sfr  Phih-p  i^i,}nci,:^  as  Raloigh  says  In  his  history  of 
thn  worhl,  "  that  hisformns  do  bormw  of  poet  a  not  only  vmck 
of  Ihrir  ornaincfif,  /wf  wmewkat  of  tkv.ir  substance:' 

«u(ih  is  not  tho  onso,  on  this  occasion,  and  1  can  safely  do. 
claro  that  tho  s,>hstanvr.  of  this  work,  embracing  tho  period 
from  1717  to  17  DJ.  when  Hienvillo,  who,  with  lljorviUe,  had 
be(>,n  tho  f..nn(h,r  of  tho  colony,  loft  it  forciver,  rcjsts  on  such 
ovuhmce  as  would  he  re(!eived  in  a  court  of  justice,  and  tiiat 
wJmt  f  Jiave  borrowed  of  tho  poet  for  the  benefit  of  tlio  h'Slo. 
nan,  is  hardly  ctpiivalent  to  the  delicately  wrought  drapi^ry 
•wliieh  even  the  Sculptor  would  d(«,eni  necessary,  as  a  grm^oful 
Bi)i)endago  to  the  nakedness  of  tho  stutuo  of  truth. 

NoTK.— Tho  s.>..v-fii,d.t  which  opons  tho  Second  Lecture  in  tho  Ro- 
nianro  of  th.^  History  of  r.ouisiana,  was  supposed  to  bo  fictitious,  it  being 
deemed  inipossibio  tiiat  a  h'renc^h  vessel  should  havo  beaten  three  Kn- 
glish  shii)s  of  sui>eri()r  (oree.  'fiiis  fact,  however,  is  related  by  Father 
Charlevoix  ;  and  nianuscript.s  copied  from  the  archives  of  the  department 
of  marine  in  l-ranas  and  now  deposited  in  tho  oflice  of  tho  Secretary  of 
Slal..  at  iiaton  l^)u,ir(..  will  convince  tho  incredulous  that  tho  autlior  has 
Hot  drawn  u^)ou  his  imagination. 


9 


THE   POETRY. 


OA  TUK 


ROMANCE  OF  THE  HISTORY  OF  LOUISIANA. 


I'' 


riKST  LECTURE. 

rRIMTTIVK    vStATE   OP  TirK  CoiINTRY— PJxi-EnlTION  OF  De  SoTO  IN  1539— ITlS  DkATH 
— DlHCOVKRY    OK   TllK    M..SSISHIITI    IN    1(173,    BY    FaTIIKU    MaRQUKTTK    AND   JoLlCT 

^Thky  are  followed  in  1682  by  La  Salle  and  the  Chevalier  dk  Tonti 
"-Assassination  ok  La  Salle. 

Having  Ixien  invited  by  a  Committee,  on  behalf  of 
the  People's  Lyceum,  to  deliver  one  of  their  twelve 
annual  Lectures,  I  was  not  long  in  selecting  tlie  subject 
of  my  la])ors.  My  mind  had  been  lately  engaged  in 
the  composition  of  the  History  of  Louisiana,  and°it  was 
natural  that  it  should  again  revert  to  its  favorite  object 
of  thought,  on  the  same  })rinciple  which  impels  the 
mightiest  river  to  o1)ey  the  laws  of  declivity,  or  which 
recalls  and  confines  to  its  channel  its  gigantic  volume 
of  waters,  when  occasionally  deviating  'from  its  course. 

But  in  reverting  now  to  the  History  of  Louisiana, 
my  intention  is  not  to  review  its  diversified  features 
with  the  scrutinizing,  unim])Mssioned,  and  aust(>re  judg- 
ment of  the  historian.  Imposing  upon  myself  a 'more 
grateful  tjisk,  V.  -cause  more  congenial  to  my  taste,  I 
shall  take  for  tlie  object  of  this  ^Lecture,  Tiii:  VokvIy, 

OR  TIIE  KoMANCE  OF  TUE   niSTOKY   OF  LoUlSLVl^A. 


■ill 


16 


POETRY-IMAOINATION. 


Poetry  ,H  tl.o  dau-l.ter  of  I.nu-i.iation,  an.I  Imao-lna. 
tion  iH,  luTlinps,  onv.  of  th(!  liii.lu.st  i^nfts  of  I[(,aveirthe 
most  ivlincl  ctlicreal  pai-  of  tlx,  mind,  l,eciius(.,  when 
cnvnvxl  to  p.-rfec-tion,  it  is  the  comhincd  essence  of  all 
tlie  fniest  favulti..s  of  the  human  int(!llect.     There  may 
be  sound  judgment,  aeute  perceptions,  depth  of  thou-ht 
great   p,.u..rs  of  conception,  ,.f  discriminati,»n,  of^'re' 
search,  of  assimdation,  of  cond)ihation  of  ideas,  without 
imagination,  or  at  h>ast  without  that  part  of  it  which 
olahc.rates  and  exalts  itself  hito  poetry  ;  hut  how  can  we 
conceive  tlu'  (..xisttmce  of  a  ])oetical  imagination  in  its 
I'mdiest    exc.ilence,    witli<.ut    all    th.>    other    faenltles? 
Without  llicni,  uhnt  imaoinati,.n  w.u.Id  not  l,e  iniper- 
ioet  or  dis,.ascd  i     It  is  true  that  u  ith..nt  in.Mo-ination 
there  may  1„.  a  uorld  uilhin  the  mind,  l.ut  it  is'a  world 
without  lioht.     Cold  it  ,,niains,  and  suHerin-  from  the 
edecK.  ot  partial  -roMni^^ation,  unless  hy  some  mi-hty 
fiat  nna-ination  is  breathed  into  th,>  dormant  massrand 
the  •un  ol  poetry,  enhi-in-  in  the  heaven  of  the  mind 
illumines  and  uarms  the  si'v.-ral  (dements  of  which  it  is 
composed,  and  completes  the  creation  of  the  intellect. 

"<"'U'o  the  idea  <.f  all  that  is  l.eautiful  and  o-reat  is 
conc(mtrated  in  the  word  poetrN'.     There  is  no  oTand 
conce{)tion_  of    the    mind    in    which    that   intellectual 
faculty  which  constitutes  poetry  is  not  to  he  detected. 
What  is  Mi-eat  and  iiohle,  is  and"  must  he  i)o,>tical,  and 
what  IS  iH.etical  must  p:!rtal<(>,  in  sonui  deo-ree  or  other 
of  what  is  ,n,.eat  and  nohle.      jt  is  hardly  possihle  to 
c<meeive  an   Alexand<M-,  a  ('asar,  a  Xnp.'.leon,  a  New. 
ton,   a    Lycur,n-us,    a    Mahomet,   a   .Michael    Ano'elo,  a 
Canova,ornnyotherortlios,.  wonderful  men  who  have 
earned  as  far  as  they  could  -o,  the  pou-ers  of  the  hu- 
man  mind   ill  the  several   departments  in   which  they 
were  used,  without  supposing  tluMu  -ifn,!   with  some 
of  those  faeulties  of  th(>  imagination  which  enter  into 


iniagina- 
iveii,  tlie 
so,  when 
ce  of  all 
ici-o  may 
tb()ii<,^lit, 
1,  of  ro- 
without 
it,  which 
r  can  we 
>n  in  its 
lenities? 
J  ini])(!r- 
^•in.'itioii 
a  worhi 
i"oin  the 
niii^'hty 
ass,  and 
c  mind, 
icii  it  is 
I'Ueet. 
L^Teat  is 
I  Cfi-aud 
Uectual 
^tected. 
al,  and 
'  other, 
il>le  to 
I  i\ew« 
^•olo,  a 

0  have 
lie  hn* 
h  they 

1  some 
3r  into 


HISTORY  OF  LOUISIAIfA   POETICAL.  17 

the  composition  of  a  poetical  organization.     Thus  every 
art  and  almost  every  science  has  its  poetry,  and  it  ia 
from  the  unanimous  consent  of  mankind  on  this  subject 
that  It  has  become  so  common  to  say  » the  poetry"  of 
music,  of  sculpture,  of  architecture,  of  dancing,  of  paint- 
ing, ot  history,  and  even  the  poetry  of  religion,  meaning 
tliat  which  IS  most  ])leasing  to  the  eye  or  to  the  mind 
and  ennobling  to  the  soul.     We  may  therefore  infei^ 
from  the  general  feeling  to  which  1  have  alluded,  that 
wliere  the  si,irit  of  poetry  does  not  exist,  there  can  not 
be  true  greatness;  and  it  can,  I  believe,  be  safely  aver- 
red,  that  to   try  the   gold  of  all  human  actions  and 
events,  of  all  things  and  matters,  the  touchstone  of 
poetry  is  one  of  the  surest. 

I  am  willing  to   ap],ly  that  criterion  to  Louisiana 
considered  both  physically  and  historically;  I  am  will- 
ing that  my  native  State,  which  is  but  a  fragment  of 
what  Louisiana  formerly  was,  should  stand  or  tall  by 
that  test,  and  I  do  not  fear  to  api)roach  with  her  the 
seat  of  judgment.     I  am  prepared  to  show  that  her  his- 
tory is  full  of  poetry  of  the  highest  order  and  of  the 
most  varied  nature.     I  have  studied  the  subject  can 
(imore,  and  with  such    reverential   enthusiasm,  and  I 
may  say  with  such  iilial  piety,  tliat  it  has  grown  upon 
my  heart  as  well  as  upon  my  mind.     May  I  be  able  to 
<lo  justice  to  its  merits,  and  to  raise  within  vou  a  cor- 
respoiul.ng  interest  to  that  which  I  feell     To  support 
tlie  jisscrtion  that  the  history  of  Louisiana  is  eminently 
poetical,  It  will  be  sumcient  to  give  you  short  graphical 
descrit)tions  ot  those  interesting  events  which  constitute 
her  annals.      Hright    gems    they  are,  encircling  her 
brows,  (liadem-like,  and  worthy  of  that  star  which  has 
sprung  from  her  forehead  to  enrich  the  American  con. 
stellation  in  the  firmament  of  liberty. 
Three  centuries  have  hardly  ehipsed,  since  that  im- 


iW 


18 


riUMFTIVP:  HTATR   OF  THK  COUNTRY. 


iiHMis(^  tcnitciy  wl.idi  (.xt.^ii;lM  fVo.n  th(!  Oulf  of  Mexico 
to  tlie  L;ik(.s  of  Cunadji,  mikI  m  liidi  wan  Hnl)s('(|.ieiitly 
known  under  tlu;  name  <.f  Louisiana,  -vas  Hlu.nl.erini,. 
in  Its  cradle  of  wildei'n.ss,  unknown  to  any  of  the  wliitS 
race  to  uhidi   u'e   l.elon-      Man  was  the.-(>,  liowt'ver, 
but  man  in  liis  i)riniitive  state,  dainiin-  as  it  were,  in  ap 
I)cai-ance  at  leiust,  a  diH'erent  oriunn   from  ours,  or  beino- 
at  best  a  variety  of  our  speeios.     Tln-re,  mm  tlie  hei-ecb 
it;ny  doinan.  of  the  nnl  man,  livini,'  in  scatt.Mvd  tril)es 
ov(T  that    ma-nificent  country.     Tho.t,  ti-il.es  earned 
their  precarious  snhsistence  cliielly  by  ],ursuinL;- the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  am]  of  the  wat<T  ;  thev  sheltered 
themselves  in  miscTabh"  huts,  spok(>  dillvrent'lam'-ua'^os 
observed  contradictory  customs,  a.i.l    wa-ed   lierce  war 
ui-.n    each   other.     Whence    they    eame    none    knew 
n«'"e    knows,   with    ahsolute  c.Tlainty,   to  th<>  present 
day;    and  the  faint  -limmerinos   of  v;,i.„e  tra<liti(ms 
Jiave  allorded  little  or  no  li,o.|,t  to  penetrate  into  the 
darkness  of  their  mysterious  ori-iu.     Tlnis  a  wide  field 
IS    left  open    to  those    dreamy   speculations  of  which 
tlie  imai^ination  is  so  fond. 

Whence  came  the  iXatchez,  those  worshipers  of  the 
mm  with  ..astern  rites  i     How  is  it  that  (Jrecian  fi<nnv.s 
and   letters  are  represented  on  the  earthen  wares  of 
some  ot  those   In<lian  nations  ^     Is  tliere  anv  trntli  in 
the  supposition  that  some  of  those  savai^^es  whoso  com- 
plexion ai^i.roximatcs  most  to  (.urs,  draw  their  blood 
from  that  Welsh  cohmy  whieh  is  sai.l  to  have  found  a 
hom..  m  America,  many  c'lituri.'s  since  i     h  it  possible 
that    Plnvnician  adventurers  were  the  i.iln-rim  fathers 
ot  some  of  the  aborigines  of  Louisiana  i     What  copper- 
^•cjlored  swarm  first  issued  from  Asia,  the  revered  womb 
ot  mankuid,  to  wend  its  mitraced  way  to  the  untenanted 
continent  of  America?     What  faiu'-iliil  tales  could  be 
weaved  ou  the  powerful  Clioctaws,  or  the  undaunted 


PIIIMITIVE  STATE  OF  THE  COUNTRY. 


19 


wliite 


ChickitsawM,  or  tlic  uiietMiqucirnlJe  Mobiliuus?     lliore 
tlic  iimiginntioii  may  riot  in  tlie  ])oetry  of  mysterious 
miirrations,  of  liuman  transformations;  in  tlie  poetry  of 
tlu'  forests,  of  the  valleys,  of  the  mountains,  of  the  lakes 
and  ri\-ers,  as  they  came  fresh  and  glorious  from  tiie 
hand  of  the  Creatoi-,  in  the  j.oetry  of  barbaric  manners, 
laws,  and   wai's.     \\1iat  heroic  poems  might  not  a  tu- 
tui-e  ()ssi;m  devise  on  the  red  monarchs  of  old  Louis- 
iana!^   VV^Mild  not  their  sti-ange  history,  in  the  hands 
of  a  Tacitus,  be  as  interesting  as  that  of  the  ancient 
bar1)arian  tribes  of  (Jernnmy,  described  by  liis  imni..r- 
tal  pen?     Is  there  in    that  i)eriod  of  their  existence 
which   precedes  theii-   ac(piaintance  with  the  sons  .,f 
Euro])e,  nothing  which,  when  placed  in  contrast  with 
their  future  fate,  a|)i)eals  to  the  imagination  of  the  ninr- 
alist,  of  tin;  philosopher,  and   of  the  divine?     Who, 
without  feeling  his  whole  soul  glowing  with  i)oetical 
emotions,   could  sit   under  yonder  gigantic   oak,  the 
growth  of  a  thousand  years,  on  the  top  of  that  hill  of 
shells,  the  sepulcher  of  man,  lulled  up  by  his  hands,  and 
overlooking  that  placid  lake  where  all  would  be  repose, 
it  it  wei-e  not  for  that  solitary  canoe,  a  moving  speck, 
hardly  visible  in  the  distance,  did  it  not  happen  to  be 
set  in  bold  relief,  by  being  on  that  very  hue  where  the 
lake  meets  the  horizon,  blazing  with  the  last  glories  of 
the  depm-ting  sun?     Is  not  this  the  very  poetry  of 
landscape,  of  Louisianian  landscape  ? 

When  diving  into  the  mysteries  of  the  creation  of 
that  ])art  of  the  south-western  \vorld  which  was  once 
comprehended  in  the  limits  of  Louisiana,  will  not  the 
geologist  himself  pause,  absorbed  in  a-stonishnient  at 
the  number  of  centuries  which  must  have  been  neces- 
sary to  form  the  delta  of  the  Mississippi  ?  When  he 
discoA-ers  successive  strata  of  forests  lying  many  fathoms 
deep  on  the  top  of  each  other ;  when  he  witnesses  thd 


li 


2n 


EXPEDITION  OF   DE  SOTO. 


exlinmntlon  oF  tlio  ftwsil  bones  of  mammotli,^,  ole])liiiiits, 
or  hw^v.  aniniiilH  of  tho  .•intcdihiviaii  nice;  wlien  he 
reads  the  liiej-oolyphic  records  of  Nature's  woiidciful 
doings,  left  by  lierself  on  tlie  very  rocks,  or  other  gran- 
ite and  calcareous  tablets  of  this  country,  will  he  not 
clasp  his  hands  iu  ecstasy,  and  exclaim,  "  Oh  !  the  dry- 
ness of  my  study  has  fled ;  there  is  poetry  in  the  very 
foundation  of  this  extraordinary  land  !" 

Thus  I  think  that  I  have  shown  that  the  spirit  of 
poetry  was  moving  over  the  face  of  Louisiana,  even  in 
her  primitive  state,  and  still  jiervades  her  natural  his- 
tory. But  I  have  dwelt  enough  on  Louisiana  in  tho 
dark  ages  of  her  existence,  of  which  we  can  know  noth- 
ing, save  by  vague  traditions  of  lac  Indians.  Let  us 
approadi  those  times  where  her  historical  records  be- 
gin to  jissume  some  distinct  shape. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  ir,P,<),  the  bay  ot  Santo  Spiritu, 
m  Florida,  i)resentod  a  curious  spectacle.     Eleven  ves- 
sels of  (piaint  shape,  bearing  tho  broad  banner  of  Spain, 
were  moored  close  to  the  shore ;  one  thousand  men  of 
infantry,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  cavalry, 
fully  e(pii])ped,  were  landing  in  proud  ai-ray  under  the 
command  of  Hernando  Do  Soto,  one  of  the  most  illus- 
trious companions  of  Pizarro  in  the  conquest  of  Peru, 
and  reputed  one  of  the  best  lances  of  Si)ain  !     "  When 
he  led  in  tlie  van  of  battle,  so  powerful  w;v3  his  charge," 
says  the  old  chronicler  of  his  exj)loits,  "  so  broad  was 
tlie  bloody  i)!issage  which  he  carved  out  in  the  ranks  of 
the  enemy,  that  ten  of  his  men-at-arms  could  with  ease 
follow  him  abreast."    He  had  acquired  enormous  wealth 
in  Peru,  and  might  have  rested  satisfied,  a  knight  of 
renown,  iu  the  government  of  St.  Jago  de  Cul)a,'iu  the 
sweet  enjoyment  of  youth  and  of  poAver,  basking  in  the 
simles  of  his  beautiful  wife,  Isal)ella  de  Bobadilla.     But 
his  adventurous  mind  scorns   such  inglorious  repose, 


.ja 


EXPEDITION  OF  DE  SOTO. 


21 


i 


'i 


..JM 


and  now  he  stands  erect  and  full  of  visions  bnght,  on 
the  sandy  shore  of  Fk^rida,  whither  he  comes,  with 
feu(hil  pride,  by  leave  of  the  king,  to  estaldish  nothing 
less  than  a  niiirqnisato,  ninety  miles  long  by  forty-five 
miles  wide,  and  there  to  rule  supreme,  a  governor  for 
life,  of  all  the  territory  that  he  can   subjugate.     Not 
unmindful  he,  the  Christian  knight,  the  hater  and  con- 
queror of  Moorish  infidelity,  of  the  souls  of  his  future 
vassals;    for,  twenty-two   ecclesiastics  accompany  him 
to  })i-each  the  word  of  God.     Among  his  followers  are 
gentlemen  of  the  best  blood  of  Spain  and  of  Portu:,^al : 
Don  Juan  de  Guzman ;    Pedi'o  Calderon,  who,  by^his 
combined  skill  and  bravery,  had  won  the  praises  of 
Gonzalvo  de    Cordova,    yclept   "the    great   captain;" 
Vasconcellos  de  Silva,  of  Portugal,  who  for  birth  and 
courage   knew   no   superior;    Nuno  Tobar,   a  knight 
above  fear  and  reproach ;  and  IMuscoso  de  Alvarado, 
whom  that  small  host  of  heroes  ranked  in  their  es- 
timation next  to  De  Soto  himself     But  I  stop  an  enu- 
meration which,  if  I  did  justice  to  all,  would  be  too 
long. 

What  materials  for  romance!  Here  is  chivalrv 
with  all  its  glittering  jiomp,  its  soul-stirring  aspirations,' 
in  full  march,  \vith  its  iron  heels  and  gilded  spurs, 
toward  the  unknown  and  hitherto  unexplored  soil  of 
Louisiana.  In  sooth,  it  must  have  been  a  splendid 
sight!  Let  us  look  at  the  glorious  pageantry  as  it 
sweeps  by,  through  the  long  vistas  of  those  pine  woods  ! 
How  nobly  they  bear  themselves,  those  bronzed  sons 
of  Spain,  clad  in  refulgent  armor !  How  brave  that 
music  sounds  !  How  fleet  they  move,  those  Andalusian 
chargers,  with  arched  necks  and  dilated  nostrils !  T'.-^ 
the  whole  train  suddenly  halts  in  that  verdant  .m  ■. 
by  that  bubbling  stream,  shaded  by  those  ven....,  \^ 
oaks  with  gray  moss  hanging  from  their  branches  ia 


22 


EXPEDITION  OF   DE  SOTO. 


J 


imitation  of  the  wliiteiiiiii,^  beard  of  age.     Does  Hot  the 
whole  encampmeiit  rise  distinct  upon  your  minds? 

Tlie  tents  witli   gay    pennoiis,    with  armorial  })ear- 
ings ;  the  ])roud  steed  whos(!  impatient  foot  si)urns  the 
ground ;  those  men  stretched  on  the  velvet  grass  and 
recruiting  their  wearied  strength  hy  sleep ;  some  sing* 
ing  old  Castilian  or  Moorish  roundelays  ;  othei-s  nnnin"^ 
on  the  sweet  rulers  of  their  souls,  left  in  their  distant 
home;  a  fe.v^  kneeling  before  the  officiating  priest,  at 
the  altar  which  a  moment  sufficed  for  their  pious  ardor 
to  erect,  under  yonder  secluded  bower ;  some  burnish* 
ing  their  artns,  others  engaged  in  mimic  warfare  and 
trials  of  skill  or  strength ;  De  Soto  sitting  apart  with 
his  peei-8  in  rank  if  not  in  command,  and  intent  ui>on 
develophig  to  tlipm  his  plans  of  conciuest,  while  the 
dusky  faces  o^'  some  Indian  boys  and  women  ir  the 
background  e::pi-ess  wild  astonishment.     None  of  the 
warriors  of  that  race  are  to  be  seen ;  they  are  reported 
to  be  absent  on   a   distant   hunting  excursion.     But, 
methinks  that  at  times  I  si)y  thi-ough  the  neighboring 
thickets  the  fierce  glance  of  more  than  one  eye,  spark* 
ling  with  the  suppressed  fury  of  anticipated  revenge. 
"Wliat  a  scene !  and  would  it  not  afford  delight  to  the 
poet's  imagination  or  to  the  pauiter's  eye  ? 

In  two  ponderous  volumes,  the  historian  Garcillasso 
relates  the  thousand  incidents  of  that  romantic  expedi- 
tion. What  more  interesting  time  th.-  reception  of 
^oto  at  the  court  of  the  Princess  Cof  iciij,,;,!,  the  Di.^j 
<;'f  the  wilderness!  What  battles,  Nvhat  victories  over 
men,  over  the  elements  themselves,  and  over  the  end- 
less obstacles  thrown  out  by  rebellious  nature  !  What 
incredible  physical  difficulties  overcome  by  the  ad- 
vancing host!  How  heroic  is  the  resistance  of  the 
M'.  bilians  and  of  the  Alabamas  !  With  what  headlong 
fury  those  denizens  of  the  forest  rush  upon  the  iron-clad 


I 


EXPEDITION  OF  DE  SOTO. 


83 


wan-iors,  and  dare  the  tliuudei-s  of  those  whom  they 
take  to  be  the  children  oi'  the  sun!  How  8])lendi(lly 
described  is  the  siege  of  IVIobile,  where  women  fought 
like  men,  and  wrap{)ed  themselves  up  in  the  flames  of 
their  destroyed  city  rather  than  sui-render  to  their  in- 
vaders ! 

But  let  the  conquering  hero  beware!     Now  lie  ig 
encami)ed  on  the  tei-ritory  of  the  Chicktisaws,  the  most 
ferocious  of  the  Indian  tribes.     And  lucky  was  it  that 
Soto  was  as  prudent  as  lie  was  brave,  and  slept  e(iuully 
prepared  fur  tlie  defence  and  for  the  attack.     Hark  !  in 
tlie  dead  of  a  winter's  night,  when  the  cold  wind  of  the 
nortli,  in  the  month  of  January,   1541,   was  howlinc 
through    the    leafless   trees,  a  simultaneous  howl  was 
heard,  more  hideous  far  than  the  voice  of  the  tempest. 
The  Indians  rush  impetuous,  with  firebrands,  and  the 
thatched  roofs  which  sheltered  the  Spaniards  are  soon 
on  fire,  threatening  them  with  immediate  destruction. 
The  horses  rearing  and  plunging  in  wild  aft'right,  and 
l)reaking  loose  from  their  ligaments ;   the  undaunted 
Spaniards,  half  naked,  struggling  against  the  devourino- 
element  and  the  unspuring  foe  ;  the  dcperate  deeds  of 
valor  executed  by  Soto  and  his  companions ;  the  deep- 
toned  shouts  of  St.  Jago  and  Spain  to  the  rescue  ;  the 
demon-like  shrieks  of  the  red  warriors  ;  the  final  over- 
throw of  the  Indians  ;  the  hot  pursuit  by  the  light  of 
the  flaming  village ;— form  a  })icture  highly  exciting  to 
the  imagination,  and  cold  indeed  must  he  be  who  does 
not  take  delight  in  the  strange  contrast  of  the  heroic 
warfare  of  chivalry  on  one  side,  and  of  the  untutored 
courage  of  man  in  his  savage  state,  on  the  other. 

It  would  be  too  long  to  follow  Soto  in  his  pere^-ii- 
nations  during  two  years,  through  part  of  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  and  Tennessee.  At  List  he  stands  on  the 
banks   of  the  Mississippi,  near  the  spot  v>-here  now 


r 


:     !■ 


24 


EXPEDITION  OF 

•Egyptian-named 


DE  SOTO. 


flourishes  the  Egypt 

crosses  the  mighty  river,  and  on.vard  he  goes,  up^to 
the  White  River,  wliile  i-oaming  over  the  territory  of 
the  Arkansas.  Meeting  Avith  alternate  hospitality  and 
hostility  on  the  part  of  the  Indians,  he  arrives  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Red  River,  within  the  present  limits  of 
the  State  of  Louisiana.  There  he  was  fated  to  close 
his  adventurous  career. 

Three   years  of  intense  bodily  fatigue  and  mei.^al 
exctement   had    undermined  the   hero's   constitution. 
Ala^ !  well  might  the  spirit  droop  within  him !    He  had 
landed  on  the  shore  of  the  North  American  continent 
with  high  hopes,  dreaming  of  con<piest  over  wealthy 
nations  and  magnificent  cities.     What   had  he  met^ 
Interminable    forests,     endless    lagoons,    inextricable 
marshes,  sharp  and  continual  conflicts  with  men  little 
superior,  in  his  estimation,  to  the  brutish  creation      ITe 
who  in  Spam  was  cheered  by  beauty's  glance,  by  the 
songs  of  the  minstrel,  when  he  sj>ed  to  the  contest  with 
adversaries  worthy  of  his  ].rowess,  with  the  noble  and 
chivalric  Moors ;  he  who  had  reveled  in  the  halls  of 
the  imperial  Inc^i.  of  Peru,  and  who  there  had  amassed 
princely  wealth;  he,  the  flower  of  knightly  courts  had 
been  roaming  like  a  vagrant  over  an  immense  territory 
wnere  he  had  discovered  none  but  half  naked  sava.4' 
dwelling   m  miserable   huts,   ignobly   rei)ulsive   ^^  hen 
comp^vred  ^ntli  Castilla's  stately  <|onu>s,  with  (Jranada's 
fant^istic  pi  aces,  and  with  Poru'.  imperial  (bvellincrs 
missive  with  gold  !     His  wealth  was  gone,  two  tl.inis 
of  IMS  brave  companions  were  dead.     What  acount 
of  them  woul<l  he  render  to  their  noble  families  f     He 
the  bankrupt  in  fame  and  in  fort.me,  how  would  he 
withstand  the  gibes  of  envy  !     Thouo-I^t,  that  scourge 
ot  lite,  tluit  inward  consumer  of  man,  racks  his  brain 
his  heart  is  seared  with  deep  anguish;   a  slow  fever 


._jil 


DEATH  OF  DE  SOTO, 


25 


wastes  his  powerful  frame,  and  Le  sinks  at  last  on  the 
couch  of  sickness,  never  to  rise  again.     The  Spaniards 
duster  round  nim,  and  alternately  look  with  despair 
at  their  dying  chieftain,  and  at  the  ominous  hue  of  the 
bloody  river,  known  at  this  day  under  the  name  of  the 
Red  Eiver.      But  not  he  the  man  to  allow  the  wild 
havoc  within  the  soul  to  betray  itself  in  the  outward 
mien ;  not  he,  in  common  with  the  vulgar  herd,  the 
man  to  utter  one  word  of  wail !     With  smiling  lips'  and 
serene  brow  he  cheers  his  companions  and  summons 
them,  one  by  one,  to  swear  allegiance  in  his  hands  to 
Muscoso  de  Alvarado,  whom  he  designates  as  his  suc- 
cessor.   "  Union  and  perseverance,  my  friends,"  he  says ; 
"  so  long  as  the  breath  of  life  animates  your  bodies,  do 
not   falter  in   the   enterprise    you    have   undertaken 
Spain  expects  a  richer  hai-vest  of  glory  and  more  ample 
domains    fi'om   her   children."     These     are    his    last 
words,  and  tlien  he  dies.     Blest  l^e  the  soul  of  the  nol)le 
knight  and  of  the  true  Christian  !     Rest  his  mortal  re- 
mains in  peace  within  that  oaken  trunk  scooped  by  his 
companions,  and  by  them  sunk  many  fathoms  deep  in 
the  bed  of  the  Alississippi ! 

The  Spaniards,  at  first,  had  tried  to  conceal  the 
death  of  Soto  from  the  Indians,  liecause  they  felt  that 
there  was  protection  in  tlie  belief  of  his  existence. 
Mhat  mockeiy  it  was  to  their  grief,  to  simulate  joy  oii 
the  very  tomb  of  their  beloved  chief,  whom  they' liad 
buried  in  their  camp  ])efore  seeking  for  him  a  safer 
place  of  repose  !  But  when,  the  slaves  of  hard  neces- 
sity, they  were,  with  heavy  hearts  but  smib'og  faces, 
coui-sing  in  tournam(^nt  over  the  burial-ground,  and 
pi'ofaning  the  conseei-ated  spot,  the  more  effectually  to 
mislead  the  conjectures  of  the  Indians,  they  saw  tliat 
their  sul)terfuge  was  vain,  and  tiiat  the  red  men,  with 
Higniiic-ant    glances,  were  pointing  to  each  othe'r  the 


.^ 


^^  PERILS  OF  HIS  FOLLOWERS. 

precise  spot  where  the  great  white  wari-ior  slept.  How 
dolorously  does  Garcilksso  desci-il)e  the  exhumatiou 
and  the  plunging  of  the  body  ii-.o  the  turbid  stream  of 
the  Great  Father  of  Rivers  ! 

Then  comes  an  Odyssey  of  woes.     The  attempt  of 
the  Spaniards  to  go  by  land  to  Mexico ;  their  wander- 
ing as  far  as   the  Rio  Grande   and  the   mountainous 
region    which  lies   between   Mexico   and   Texas,   and 
which  was  destined,  in  after  years,  to  be  so  famous  iu 
American  history;  their  return  to  the  mouth  of  Red 
River ;  their  building  of  vessels  capable  of  navigating 
at  sea;   the  tender  compassion  and  affectionate 'assist 
ance  of  the  good  Cazique  Anilco ;   the  league  of  the 
other  Indian  princes,  far  and  wide,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  great  king,  Quigualtanqui,  the  Agamemnon  of 
the  confederacy  ;  the  discovery  of  the  plot ;  the  retreat 
of  all  the  Indian  ciiiets  save  the  indomital)le  Quiguab 
tanqui ;  the  fleet  of  one  thousand  canoes,  mounted  by 
twenty   thousand   men,    with   which   he  pursued   the 
weary  and   despairing  Spaniards   for   seventeen   long 
days,^  assailing  them  with  incessant  fury;    the  giving 
up  of  the  (;hase  only  Aidien  the  sea  was  nearly  in  sight"^ 
the  fierce  parting  words  of  the  Indians  to  the  S]»ania°ds  .' 
"  Tell  your  countrymen  that  you  have  been  pursued  by 
Quiguidtanqui  alone;  if  he  had  been  better  assisted  by 
his  ])eers,  none  of  you  would  have  survived  to  tell  the 
tale ;"  the  solemn  rites  with  which,  in  their  tliousand 
canoes  riveted  on  the  water,  they,  on  the  day  they  cciised 
their   pursuit,  adored  the  rising  sun  and  "saluted   him 
with  their  tlianksgivings  for  the  exi>idsion  of  the  iu- 
viulers;  the  hair-l)readth  escapes  of  the  three  hundred 
Sj)aniards  who  alone  out  of  the  bright  host  of  their 
former  conij)ani(jns,  had  succeeded  infleeing  from  the 
hostile  shore  of  Louisiana  ;  their  toils  duriilg  a  naviga- 
tion of  ninety  days  to  the  port  of  Panuco,  where  they 


'^m 


DISCOVERT  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI, 


27 


gl  last  arrived  in  a  state  of  utter  destitution,  are  all 
thrilling  incidents  connected  with  the  history  of  Lou* 
isiana,-  and  replete  with  the  very  essence  of  poetry. 

When  Alvarado,  the  Ulysses  of  that  expedition,  re* 
lated  his  adventures  in  the  halls  of  Montezuma,  Don 
Francisco  de  Mendoza,  the  son  of  the  viceroy,  l)roke 
out  with  passionate  admiration  of  the  conduct  of  Qui* 
gualtanqui :  *'  A  noble  barbarian,"  exclaimed  he,  "  aa 
honest  man  and  a  true  patriot."  This  remark,  worthy 
of  the  high  lineage  and  of  the  ancestral  fame  of  him 
who  spoke  it,  is  a  just  tribute  to  the  Louisianian  chief, 
and  is  an  apt  epilogue  to  the  recital  of  those  romantic 
achievements,  the  nature  of  which  is  such,  that  the 
poet's  pen  would  be  more  at  ease  with  it  than  that  of 
the  historian, 

^  One  hundred  and  thirty  years  had  passed  away 
since  the  apparition  of  Soto  on  the  soil  of  Louisiana, 
without  any  further  attempt  of  the  white  race  to  ])eue- 
trate  into  that  fair  region,  when  on  the  7th  of  July, 
1673,  a  small  band  of  Europeans  and  Canadians  reach- 
ed the  Mississippi,  which  they  had  come  to  seek  from 
the  distant  city  of  Quebec.  That  Ixmd  had  two  lead- 
ers, Father  Marquette,  a  monk,  and  Joliet,  a  merchant, 
the  prototypes  of  tv^-o  great  sources  of  power,  reli- 
gion  and  commerce,  which,  in  the  coui-se  of  time,  were 
destined  to  exercise  such  influence  on  the  civilization  of 
the  western  territoiy,  traversed  by  the  mighty  river 
which  they  had  discovered.  They  could  not  lie  ordi- 
nary men,  those  adventurers,  who  in  those  days  under- 
took to  expose  themselves  to  the  fatigues  and  perils  of 
a  journey  through  unknown  solitudes,  from  the  St. 
Lawrence  to  the  Mississipj)i  f  That  lunnble  monkish 
gown  of  Father  Mairpiette  concealed  a  hero's  heart; 
and  in  the  merchant's  l)reast  there  dwelt  a  soul  that 
would  have  disgraced  no  belted  knight. 


S8 


MARQUETTE  ANB  JOLIET. 


Whether  it  was  owing  to  the  peaceful  garh  In  which 
they  had  presented  themselves,  or  to  some  other  cause, 
the  Indians  hardly  showed  any  of  that  hostility  which 
they  had   exhibited   toward   the   armed    invasion  of 
Spain.     Joliet  and  Father  Marquette  floated  down  the 
river  without  much  impediment,  as  far  a.s  the  Arkansas. 
There,   having  received  sufficient   evidence   that   the 
Mississippi  discharged  itself  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
they  retraced  their  way  back  and  returned  to  Canada. 
But  in  that  frail  bark  drifting  down  the  current  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  in  which  sat  the  hard  plodding  mer- 
chant,  with  the  deep  wrinkles  of  thought  and  forecast 
on  his  brow,  planning  schemes  of  trade  with  unknown 
nations,  and  surveying  with  curious  eye  that  boundless 
territory  which  seemed,  as  he  Avent  along,  to  stretch  in 
commensurate  proportion  with  the  infiniteness  of  space  j 
in  that  frail  l)ark,  I  say,  where  mused  over  his  breviary 
that  gi-ay-headed  monk,  leaning  on  that  long  staft;  sur^ 
mounted  with  the  silver  cross  of  Christ,  and  computing 
the  souls  that  he  had   saved  and  still  hoped  to  save 
from  idolatry,  is  there  not  iis  much  poetry  as  in  the 
famed  vessel  of  Argos,  sailing  in  quest  of  the  iroldeu 
fleece  ?     Were  not  their  hearts  as  brave  as  those^of  the 
Greek  adventurers  ?  were  not  their  dangers  as  great  ? 
and  was  not  the  object  which  they  had  in  view  much 
8U]-)eri(^r  ? 

_  The  grandeur  of  their  (mterprise  was,  even  at  tliat 
time,  fully  appreciated.  On  their  return  to  Quebec, 
and  on  their  giving  information  that  they  liad  dis. 
covered  that  mighty  river  of  which  the  Europeans  had 
but  a  vague  knowledge  conveyed  to  them  by  the  In- 
diaiis,  and  which,  from  the  accounts  given  of  its  width 
and  length,  was  considered  to  he  one  of  the  greatest 
won(hn's  of  the  world,  universal  admiration  was  ex- 
pressed;  the  bells  of  the  Cathedi-al  tolled  merrily  for  a 


MARQUETTE  AND  JOLIET. 


29 


whole  day,  and  the  bishop,  followed  by  his  clergy  and 
the  whole  population,  sang  a  solemn  Te  Deum  at  the 
foot  of  the  altar.  Thus,  on  the  first  acquaintance  of  our 
European  fathers  with  the  great  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, of  which  our  present  State  of  Louisiana  is  the 
heart,  there  was  an  instinct  that  told  them  it  was  there 
that  the  seeds  of  empire  and  greatness  were  sown. 
Were  they  not  right  in  those  divinations  which  pushed 
them  onward  to  that  favored  spot  through  so  many 
obstacles  ?  Greatness  and  empire  were  there^  and  there- 
fore all  the  future  elements  of  poetry. 

Joliet  and  Marquette  were  dead,  and  nothing  yet  had 
been  done  to  take  possession  of  the  newly  discovered 
regions  of  the  West ;  but  the  impetus  was  given ;  the 
march  of  civilization  once  begun  could  not  retrograde ; 
that  mighty  traveler,  with  religion  for  his  guide,  was 
pushed  onward  by  the  hand  of  God ;  and  the  same 
spirit  which  had  driven  the  crusaders  to  Asia,  now 
turned  the  attention  of  Europe  to  the  continent  of 
America.  The  spell  which  had  concealed  the  Mis- 
sissippi  amid  hitherto  impenetrable  forests,  and,  as  it 
were,  an  ocean  of  trees,  was  broken ;  and  the  Indians, 
who  claimed  its  ])anks  as  their  hereditary  domain,  were 
now  fated  to  witness  the  rapid  succession  of  irresistible 
intruders. 

Seven  years,  since  the  expedition  of  Marquette  and 
Joliet,  had  rolled  by,  when  Kobert  Cavalier  de  La  Salle, 
in  the  month  of  January,  1C)8l>,  feasted  his  eyes  with 
the  sight  of  the  far-tamed  Mississippi.  For  his  com- 
panions he  liad  forty  soldiers,  three  monks,  and  the 
Chevalier  de  Tonti.  He  had  received  the  education  of 
a  Jesuit,  and  had  been  destined  to  the  cloister,  and  to 
become  a  tutor  of  chihb'en  in  a  seminary  of  that  cele- 
brated ordei-  of  which  he  was  to  })ecome  a  member. 
But  he  had  that  will,  and  those  passions,  and  that  in- 


.:J^ 


30 


LA  SALLR 


l.llii 


I'!  !: 


I 


tellect  which  can  not  be  forced  into  a  contracted  chan. 
nel  of  action.     Born  poor  and  a  plebeian,  he  wished  to 
be  both  no  hie  and  rich;  obscure,  he  longed  to  be  fa- 
mous.    Wliy  not  ?    Man  shapes  his  own  destinies  when 
the  fortitude  of  the  soul  corresponds  with  the  vigorous 
organization   of  the   mind.      When  the   heart  dares 
prompt  the  execution  of  what  genius  conceives,  nothing 
remains  but  to  choose  the  field  of  success.     That  choice 
was  soon  made  by  La  Salle.     America  was  then  exer- 
cising  magnetic  attraction  u])on  all  bold  spirits,  and  did 
not  foil  to  have  the  same  influence  on  his  own.     Obey- 
ing the  impulse  of  his  ambition,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic 
without  hesitation,  and  landed  in  Canada  in  1678. 

When  on  the  continent  of  America,  that  fond  object 
of  his  dreams.  La  Salle  felt  that  he  was  in  a  congenial 
atmospliere  with  his  temperament.     His  mind  seemed 
to  expand,  his  conceptions  to  become  more  vivid,  his 
natural  eloquence  to  be  gifted  with  more  persuasion, 
and  lie  was  acknowledged  at  once  by  all  who  saw  and 
heard  him,  to  be  a  superior  being.     Brought  into  con- 
tact with  Count  Frontenac,  who  was  the  governor  of 
Canada,  he  communicated  to  him  his  views  and  ])ro- 
jects  for  the  aggrandizement  of  France,  and  suggested 
to  him  the  gigantic  plan  of  connecting  the  St.  Law- 
rence with  the  Mississippi  by  an  uninteiTupted  chain  of 
forts.     "  From  the  information  which  I  liave  been  al)le 
to  collect,"  said  he  to  the  Count,  "I  think  I  may  affirm 
that  the  Mississippi  draws  its  source  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Celestial  Emi)ire,  and  that  France  will 
be  not  only  the  mistress  of  all  the  territory  between 
the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Mississii)pi,  but  will  command 
the  trade  of  China,  flowing  down  the  new  and  mighty 
channel  which  I  shall   open  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico." 
Count  Frontenac  was  seduced  by  the  magnificence  of 
the  prospect  sketched  by  the  enthusiast,  but  not  daring 


'I 

X 

i 


LA  SALLE 


31 


rd. 


to  incur  the  expenses  which  such  an  undertaking  would 
have  required,  referred  him  to  the  court  of  France. 

To   France,   then,  the  adventurer  returns  with  in- 
creased confidence ;  for  he  had  secured  one  tiling,  he 
had  gained  one  point;  introduction  to  the  njble  and  to 
the  wealtliy  under  the  auspices  of  Count  Frontenac. 
The  spirit  of  C'oluml)us  was  in  him,  and  nothing  abash- 
ed  he  would  have  forced  his  way  to  the  foot  of  the 
throne  and  ai)pealed  to  Majesty  itself,  with  that  assu- 
rance which  genius  imparts.     But  sufficient  was  it  for 
him  to  gain  the  good  graces  of  one  of  the  royal  blood 
of  France,  the  Prince  de  Conti.     He  fired  the  prince's 
miiid  with  his  imn  contagious  enthusiasm,  and  through 
him  obtained  from  the  king  not  only  an  immense  co°n- 
cession  of  land,  but  was  clothed  with  all  the  powers 
and  privileges  which  he  required  for  trading  with  the 
Indinus,  and  for  carrying  on  his  meditated  phms  of  dis- 
covery.    Nay,  more,  he  was  ennobled  by  letters-patent, 
and  thus  one  of  the  most  ardent  wishes  of  his  heart 
was  gratified.     At  last,  he   was  no  longer  a  plebeian, 
and  witli  Macbeth  he  could  exclaim,  "  Now,  thane  of 
Cawdoi-,  the  greatest  is  behind." 

La  Salle  re-crossed  the  Atlantic  with  one  worthy  of 
hmurlmJldusAc'Jiutes'.and  ca])able  of  understanding 
the  workings  of  his  mind  and  of  his  heart.  That  man 
was  the  Chevalier  De  Tonti,  who,  as  an  officer,  had 
served  with  distinction  in  many  a  war,  and  who  after- 
ward became  famous  among  the  Indians  for  the  iron 
hand  with  which  he  had  artificially  supplied  the  one 
which  he  had  lost. 

On  the  15th  of  September,  1G78,  ]n-oud  and  erect 
with  the  consciousness  of  success,  La  Salle  stood  again 
inthe  walls  of  Quebec,  and  stimulated  by  the  cheers 
of  the  ^y\u>h  population,  he  immediately  entered  into 
the   execution  of  his  projects.     Four  yeai-s  after,  in 


i''  '<l 


I 


I  , 


III 


^  lA  SALLE. 

1682,  lie  was  at  tlie  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and  in 
the  name  (as  appears  by  a  notarial  act  still  extant)  of 
the  most  puismnt,  most  high,  most  imineiUe  mid  vkio- 
rtous  Prince,  Louis  the  Great,  King  of  France,  took 
possession  of  all  the  country  which  he  had  discovered 
How   his   heart  must  have    swelled   with  exultation 
when  he  stood  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  on  which 
all  his  hopes  had  centered ;  when  he  unfurled  the  white 
banner  and  erected  the  stately  column  to  which  he  ap- 
pended the  royal  escutcheon  of  France,  amid  the  shouts 
ot  his  companions  and  the  discharge  of  fire-arms  '    With 
what  devotion  he  must  have  joined  in  the  solemn  Te 
Deum  sung  on  that  memora])le  occasion! 

To  relate  all  the  heart-thrilling  adventures  which  oc- 
curred  to  La  Salle  during  the  four  years  which  elapsed 
between  the  opening  and  the  conclusion  of  that  expe- 
dition,  would  be  to  go  beyond  the  limits  which  are 
allotted  to  me.     Suffice  it  to  say,  that  at  this  day  to 
overcome  the  one-hundredth  part   of  the   difficulties 
which  he  had  to  encounter,  Avould  immortalize  a  man. 
It  It  be  true  that  man  is  never  greater  than  when  en- 
gaged m  a  generous  and  unyielding  struggle  against 
dangei-s  and  adversity,  then  must  it  be  admitted  that 
during  those  four  years  of  trials  La  Salle  wa.s  pre-emi- 
nently  great.     W^is  he  not  worthy  of  admiration,  when 
to  the  camp  of  the  L'oquois,  who  at  first  had  received 
him  hJve  friends,  but  had  been  converted  into  foe.  he 
dared  to  go  alone,  to  meet  the  charges  brought  against 
himby  the  subtle  Mansolia,  whose  words  were  so  per- 
suasive, and  whose  wisdom  appeared  so  wonderful,  that 
It  was  attributed  to  his  holding  intercourse  with  spirits 
of  another   world  ?     How   interesting  the   spectacle ! 
How  vivi,ily  It  pictures  itself  to  my  mind !     How  it 
would  grace  the  pages  of  a  Fennimore  Cooper  or  of 
one  having  the  magic  pen  of  a  Widter  Scott !     Me- 


1 


i  I 


iM- 


LA  SALLE, 


88 


thinks  I  see  that  areopagus  of  stern  old  Indian  warriora 
hstenmg  with  knit  brows  and  compressed  lips  to  the 
passionate  accusation  so  skillfully  urged  against  La 
fealle,  and  to  the  prediction  that  amity  to  the  white 
race  was  the  sure  forerunner  of  destruction  to  all  the 
liidian  tribes.  La  Salle  rose  in  his  turn ;  how  eloquent 
how  pathetic  he  was  when  appealing  to  the  better  feel- 
ings of  the  Indians,  and  how  deserving  of  the  verdict 
rendered  in  his  favor ! 

The   enmity,  the  ambushes  of  Indians  were  not  to 
Him  the  only  sources  of  danger.     These  he  could  have 
stood  unmoved !    But  what  must  have  been  his  feel- 
mgs  when  he  beci^me  conscious  of  the  poison  which  had 
been  administered  to  him  by  some  of  his  companions, 
who  thought  that  by  destroying  him  the-  would  spare 
to  themselves  the  anticipated  horrors  of  "an  expedition 
which  they  no  longer  had  the  courage  to  prosecute! 
What  his   despair  was,   is  attested  by  the  name  of 
Creve  Qmr-  which  he  gave  to  a  fort  he  built  a  short 
time  after-the  fort  of  the  «  Broken  Heart !"     But  let 
us  turn  from  his  miseries  to  the  more  grateful  spectacle 
ot  his  ovation. 

In  1684  he  returned  to  France,  and  found  himself 
tamous.     He,  the  poor  boy,  the  ignoble  by  birth,  for 
whom  paternal  tenderness  had  dreamed  nothing  hi-her 
than  the  honor  of  being  a  teacher  in  a  semin.fy  of  Je- 
suits, was  presented  to  Louis  XIV.  amid  all  the  splen- 
dors  of  his  court!    That  Jupiter  among  the  kin^  of 
the  earth  had  a  smile  to  bestow  upon  the  humble  sub- 
ject who  came  to  deposit  at  the  foot  of  the  throne  the 
title-deeds  of  such  broad  domains.     But  that  smile  of 
royalty  was  destined  to  be  the  last  smile  of  fortune. 
Ihe  favors  which  he  then  obtained  bred  nothing  but 
reverses.     Every  thing,  however,  wore  a  bright  aspect, 

0 


34 


LA  SALLE. 


i. 


and  the  star  of  his  destiny  appeared  to  be  culminating 
in  the  heavens. 

Thus  a  fleet,  composed  of  four  vessels,  was  ^,at  at  his 
disposal,  with  all  the  materials  necessary  to  estaljlish  a 
colony,  and  once  more  'le  left  the  shores  of  hia  native 
country,  but  this  time  invested  with  high  command,  and 
hoping  perhaj)s  to  be  the  founder  of  an  empire.     This, 
indeed,  was  something  worth  havinr^  struggled  for! 
But  alas  !  he  had  struggled  in  vain  •  the  meshes  of  ad- 
verse fate  were  drawing  close  around  him.     Here  is  not 
the  place  to  relate  his  misunderstandings,  degenerating 
into  bitter  quarrels  with  the  proud  Beaujeu,  who  had 
the  subordinate  command  of  the  fleet,  and  who  thought 
himself  dishonored — he,  the  old  captain  of  thirty  years' 
standing,  he,  the  nobleman — by  being  placed  under 
the  control  of  the  unprofessional,  of  the  plebeian,  of  him 
whom  he  called  a  pedagogue,  fit  only  to  rule  over  chil- 
dren.    The  result  of  that  conflict  was,  that  La  Salle 
found  himself  abandoned  on  the  shores  of  the  Bay  of 
St.  Bernard,  in  1685,  and  was  reduced  to  shift  for  him- 
self, with  very  limited  resources.     Here  follows  a  pe- 
riod of  three  other  years  of  great  sufferings  and  of  bold 
and  incessant  wanderings  through  the  territory  of  the 
present  State  of  Texjis,  where,  after  a  long  series  of  ad- 
ventures, he  was  basely  murdered  by  his  French  com- 
panions, and  revenged  by  his  body-servant,  an  English- 
man by  birth.     He  died  somewhere  about  the  spot 
where   now  stands   the   town  of  Washington,  v-hich 
owes  its  foundation  to  some  of  that  race  to  which  be- 
longed his  avenger,  and  the  star-spangled  banner  now 
proudly  waves  where  the  first  pioneer  of  civilization 
consecrated  with  his  blood  the  future  land  of  liberty. 

The  rapid  sketch  which  I  have  given  shows  that  so 
much  of  La  Salle's  life  as  belongs  to  history,  occupies 
a  space  of  fifteen  years,  and  is  so  full  of  incidents  as 


I 


t 

% 


LA  SALLR 


35 


minating 

at  at  his 
tablish  a 
ia  native 
and,  and 
3.     This, 
:led  for! 
es  of  ad- 
've  is  not 
nerating 
who  had 
thouiifht 
;y  years' 
[1  under 
I,  of  him 
ver  chil- 
-<a  Salle 
Bay  of 
for  him- 
s  a  pe- 
ofbold 
'  of  the 
3S  of  ad- 
ch  com- 
Knglish- 
he  s]-)ot 
,  v'hich 
liich  be- 
ler  now 
ilization 
jerty. 
that  so 
>ccupies 
.ents  as 


I 


to  afford  materials  enough  for  the  production  of  a 
voluminous  and  interesting  book.  But  I  think  I  may 
safely  close  my  observations  with  the  remark,  that  he 
who  will  write  the  life  of  that  extraordinary  man,  how- 
ever austere  his  turn  of  mind  may  be,  will  hardly  be 
able  to  prevent  the  golden  hues  of  poetry  from  over- 
spreading the  pages  which  he  may  pen,  where  history 
is  so  much  like  romance  that,  in  many  respects,  it  is 
likely  to  be  classed  as  such  by  posterity. 

Here  I  must  close  this  historical  sketch ;  here  I  must 
stop,  on  the  threshold  of  the  edifice  through  which  I 
should  like  to  wander  with  you,  in  order  to  call  your 
attention  not  only  to  the  general  splendor,  but  to  the 
minute  perfection  of  its  architecture.     Perhars,  at  a 
future  period,  if  your  desii-e  should  keep  pace  with  my 
inclination,  I  may  resume  the  subject ;  and  I  believe  it 
will  then  be  easy  for  me  to  complete  the  demonstration 
that  our  annals  constitute  a  rich  mine,  where  lies  in 
profusion  the  purest  ore  of  poetry,  not  to  be  found  in 
broken  and  scattered  fragments,  but  forming  an  unin- 
terrupted vein  through  the  whole  history  of  Louisiana, 
in  all  its  varied  phases,  from  the  primitive  settlement 
made  at  Biloxi  to  the  present  time,  when  she  wears  the 
diadem  of  sovereignty,  and  when,  with  her  blood  and 
treasure,  and  with  a  spirit  of  chivalry  worthy  of  her 
Spanish  and  French  descent,  and  of  her  Anglo-Saxon 
adoption,  she  was  the  fii-st  to  engage  in  the  support 
of  that  war  which,  so  glorious  in  its  beginning  at  Palo 
Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Palraa,  Monterey,  and  Buena  Vista, 
wOl  undoubtedly  have  an  equally  glorious,  and  I  think 
I  may  add,  a  poetical   termination  in  the  walls  of 
Mexico ! 


SECOND  LECTURE. 


AaEiVAi  OF  Ibebvillb  and  Bienville— Settlement  of  a  Fuench  Colonv  in 
Louisiana— Sauvollk,  first  Governor— Events  and  Characters  in  Louis- 
iana,  OR    CONNECTED    WITH    THAT    CoLONY,    FROM     La     SaLLe'b     DeATH,   IN    1687 

TO  170L  ' 


I     I 


I  CLOSED  my  last  Lecture  with  La  Salle's  death,  in 
1687.     A  few  years  after,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same 
century,  a  French  ship  of  42  guns,  on  one  of  those 
beautiful  days  which  are  the  pt'culiar  offspring  of  the 
autumnal  climate  of  America,  happened  to  be'coasting 
the  hostile  shore  of  New  England.     At  mat  time  Eng- 
land and  France  were  at  war,  and  the  bays  and  harboi-s 
of  the  British  possessions  wei-e  swarming  with  thu  float- 
ing battlements  of  the  mistress  of  the  sea.     Never- 
theless, from  the  careless  manner  in  which  that  ship 
which  bore  the  white  flag  of  France,  hugged  the  coast,' 
one  would  have  thought  that  no  danger  was  to  l)e  ap 
prehended  from  such  close  proximity  to  captivity  or 
death.     Suddenly,  three  vessels  hove  in  sight ;  it  was 
not  long  before  their  broad  canvtis  wings^  seemed  to 
spread  wider,  and  their  velocity  to  increase.     To  the 
most  unpracticed  eye  it  would  have  been  evident  that 
they  were  in  pursuit  of  an  object  which  they  longed  to 
reach.     Yet,  t/iey  of  th  white  fag  appeared  to  be  un- 
conscious of  the  intention  of  their  feUow-travelers  on 
the   boundless   desert   of  the   ocean.      Although  the 
French  ship,  with  her  long  ma-sts,  towering  like  steeples, 
could  have   borne  much  more  canvas;   although  the 


4 


IBERVILLE'S  SEA-FIGHT. 


37 


breeze  blew  fresh,  and  the  circumstance  might  have 
invited  to  rapidity  of  motion,  yet  not  one  additional 
inch  of  sail  (lid  8he  show,  but  she  continued  to  move 
with  a  speed,  neither  relaxed  nor  increased,  and  as  if 
enjoying  a  holyday  excursion  on  Old  Neptune's  do- 
mains. 

High  on  the  quarter-deck  stood  the  captain,  with 
the  spy-glass  in  his  hands,  and  surrounded  by  his  offi. 
cers.     After  a  minute  survey  of  the  unknown  vessels, 
as  they  appeared,  with  outlines  taint  and  hardly  visi1)le 
from  the  distance,  and  with  the  tip  of  their  masts  grad- 
ually emerging,   as  it  were,  from  the  waves,  he  had 
dropped  his  glass,  and  said  to  the  bystanders:    -'Gen- 
tlemen, they  are  vessels  of  war,  and  British."    Then  he 
instinctively  cast  a  rai)id  glance  upward  at  the  rig<ang 
ot  his  ship,  as  if  to  satisfy  himself  that  nothin-liad 
happened  there^  to  mar  tliat  symmetrical  neatness  and 
scientific  arrangement  which  have  ever  been  held  to  be 
a  criterion   of   nautical   knowledge,   and    therefore   a 
proper  source  of  professional   pride.      But  the  look 
which  he  flung  at  the  deck  was  long  and  steady.     That 
thoughtful,  lingering  look  embraced  every  object,  ani- 
mate or  inanimate,  which  there  stood.     Ay !  that  ab- 
stracted  look  and  those  compressed  lips  must  have  con- 
veyed meaning,  as  distinct  as  if  words  had  been  spoken  • 
for  they  produced  instantaneous  action,  such  action  as 
when  man  prepares  to  meet  man  in  deadly  encounter 
It  was  plain  that  between  that  chief  and  his  crew  there 
vvas    that    sympathetic    congeniality    which    imparts 
thou|,:.fc  and  feeling  without  the  use  of  Lnguage      It 
was  plain  that  on  all  occasions  when  the  soul  was  sum- 
moned into   moral   volition   and  stirred  into  the  as- 
sumption of  high  and  uncommon  resolves,  the  same 
electric  fluid,  gushing  from  the  heart,  pervaded  at  once 
the  whole  of  that  human  mass.     But,  if  a  chano-e  had 


f  11 


'■  i 


38 


IBERVILLE'S  SEA-FIGHT. 


'Hi 


come  over  the  outward  appearance  of  that  ship's  leek 
none  ^ad  taken  place  in  her  upper  trimming.  S 
™d  contmued  to  fill  the  same  number  of  sa\  and 
the  ship  naiad-like,  to  sport  herself  leisurely  in  her 
favorite  element.  ^ 

gammg  ground   upon  the    intervening  distance    and 

s.en  that  they  had  separated  from  each  other,  and  they 
appeared  to  be  sweeping  round  the  Pelican  (for  such 
was  the  name  o  the  French  ship),  as  if  to  cut  her  off 
^om  letreat.     Already  could  be  plainly  discovered  St 
George's  ci^ss,  flaunting  in  the  wind.     The  white  cloud 
of  canvas  that  hung  over  them  seemed  to  swell  with 
every  flymg  mmute,  and  the  wooden  structures  them- 
selves, ^  they  plunged  madly  over  the  furrowed  plains 
of  the  Atlantic,  looked  not  unlike  Titanic   race-horses 
pressing  for  the  goal.     Tl..Ir  very  masts  with  their  long 
flags  streaming,  like  Gorgon's  disheveled  locks,  seemed 
as  they  bent  under  the  wind,  to  be  quiverinc.  with  the 

hot  haste  ?     Why  urge  ye  into  such  desperate  exe  tions 
the  wateiy  steeds  which  ye  spur  on  so  fiercely  ?     jZ 
of  the  whte  flag  never  thought  of  fligjit.     See '  thev 
shorten  sail  as  if  to  invite  you  to  the^appro^l*     Z 
ware  ye  do  not  repent  of  yoar  efforts  to  cull  the  Lily 
of  P  ranee,  so  temptingly  floating  in  your  siglit !     If  ye 
be  talcons  of  puro  breed,  yonder  bird,  that  is  resting 
his  folded  pinions  and  sharpening  his  beak,  is  no  car- 
rion  crow.     Who,  but  an  eagle,  would  have   looked 
with  such  imperturbable  composure  at  your  rapi.l  gyra- 
tions, betokening  the  thun.lerbolt-like  swoop  wlifch  is 
to  descend  upon  his  devoted  head  ? 
Now,  forsooth,  the  excitement  of  the  looker-on  must 


IBERVILLE'S  SEA-FIGHT. 


39 


be  tenfold  increased :  now  the  four  vessels  are  within 
gun-shot,  and  the  fearful  struggle  is  to  begin.     One  is  a 
British  ship  of  the  line,  showing  a  row  of  52  guns,  and 
her  companions  are  frigates  armed  with  42  guns  each. 
To  court  such  unequal  contest,  must  not  that  French 
commander  be  the  very  impersonation  of  madness? 
There  he  stands  on  the  quarter-deck,  a  man  apparently 
of  thirty  years  of  age,  attired  aa  if  for  a  courtly  ball,  in 
the  gorgeous  dress  of  the  time  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth. 
The  profuse   curls  of  his  perfumed  hair  seem  to  be 
bursting  from  the  large,  slouched  gray  hat,  which  he 
wears  on  one  side  inclined,  and  decorated  with  a  red 
plume,  horizontally  stuck  to  the  broad  brim,  according 
to  the  fashion  of  the  day.     What  a  noble  face !     If  I 
were  to  sculpture  a  hero,  verily,  I  would  put  such  a 
head  on  his  shoulders— nay,  I  would  take  the  whole 
man  for  my  model !     I  feel  that  I  could  shout  with  en- 
thusiasm, when  I  see  the  peculiar  expression  which  has 
settled  in  that  man's  eye,  in  front  of  such  dangers  thick- 
ening upon  liim !     Ila !  what  is  it  ?     What  signify  that 
convulsive  start  which  shook  his  frame,  and  that  death- 
like paleness  which  has  flitted  across  his  face  ?     What 
woman-like  softness  has  suddenly  crept  into  those  eyes  ? 
By  heaven!   a  tear!     I  saw  it,  although  it  passed  as 
rapidly  as  if  a  whirlwind  had  swept  it  off,  and  although 
every  feature  has  now  resumed  its  former  expression  of 
more  than  human  firmness. 

I  understand  it  all !  That  boy,  so  young,  so  effemi- 
nate,  so  delicate,  but  who,  in  an  under-oflicer's  dress, 
stands  with  suci  manly  courage  by  one  of  the  guns,-- ^ 
he  is  your  broth  ^r,  is  he  not  f  Perhaps  he  is  doonied 
to  death !  and  y  m  think  of  his  aged  mother !  Well 
may  the  loss  of  two  such  sons  crush  her  at  once  !  Whim 
I  see  such  exquisite  feelings  tumultuously  at  work  in  a 
heart  as  soft  aa  ever  throbbed  in  a  woman's  bre;Lst ; 


:'i 


■].'' 

i  = 

1 

Ijil! 


ill 


M. 


;|(l 


IBERVILLE'S  SEA-FIGHT. 

when  kcoMhil        ^T  "°™"'y'^  ™<'™<»'.  e™„ 
dee.  and  h,.g  ^ou  Zty^:^^,^'  ''  ""^  °"  '''^' 

gigantic  butTndef  whicTrhr  "'^  T  t**  ^^  ^''^ 
a  cricket  ™VBt  be  £,;lS;™'j^^-''''P»^ ;f 
arc  to  each  other !  A  musket  if  iter*'"'^ 
the  crash  18  coming!     The  tem,w  ^TT  I  °^' 

destrnotion  is  to  b^  Jet  loo.!   '^What  T'    fT'  "'"' 
wouM  not  look  twice  It  ,„ch  L    What  a  spectacle !    I 

for  an  nnconcerned  sn    tl  ,   W  "\*°'  P''''"''"' 
emotion-!  am  st,,      r       •        ^^^ '"■«'>'t  heaves  with 

there  it  goes-one  S*'  "  1"  *°  '^'■«"*''^!  "a! 
of  Mount  wL-r  tr""'  "r'.  T''««-"P«o„ 
ii-ing  of  ten  th:  :na  se  p If  J  r"?  ^™r'-«- 
drunk  with  it,  venom 4  r  ft^'o^  *'?"  "!'°"  ""'' 
of  sturdy  a\-es  h„l  i,^       1  "'""''  •"«  ''^  »  Iiost 

withi,':itsdrk;S  ,i;;:;":f  *''^  ^'™""''  -'■* 

of  the  smoke,  t\e  F  ;„„,ri  ?  'T'^'"""'  "''"""« 
mated  with  a  charmed  life  ,r  •  '^  ■'  ''•"''  "■■'  "'  ""- 
and  pouring  in  h  H,  '^Wd^  "5  ""'"^'  '"^  ''"'■■  ««'■ 
It  looks  lik-e  the'^o'd  t  ':  :'*.dl"t'he"rt' •"'^""^• 
hi-aven.  Her  ..onunand.-r  a,  tf "  ft  ,  v,  ''°''*""'«^  "^^ 
P""e,.  and  with  the  privi'le'e^'  ''  ''"''-■""""■••'I 

present  at  the  san.o  time      tvew  l'  r^;,"",''-  '"  '" 
-tmg  am,  directing  all  with  Z^^^  ^'""'  "■"- 

five  safely  Jul'2!:i:^::^z"^:^';"'  --  r 

not  think  r  can  sf-nwl  +i-  /''•    -^^^*' J'-urs!    I  do 

-.minute- ::i;-t-ri:ti:c''r 


IBERVILLE'S  VICTORY. 


41 


N 


ow. 


now  comes  the  crisis.     The  Pelican  has  almost  silenced 
the  guns  of  the  English  52,  and  is  bearing  down  upon 
her  evidently   with    the    intention    to    board.     But 
strange !  she  veers  round.     Oh !  I  see.     God  of  mercy ' 
I  feel  faint  at  heart !     The  52  is  sinking— slowly  she 
settles  in  the  surging  sea— there— there— there— down  ' 
What  a  yell  of  defiance !     But  it  is  the  last.     What  a 
rushing  of  the  waters  over  the  ingulfed  mass!     Now 
all  is   over,   and  the   yawning  abyss   has   closed   its 
lips.— What  remains  to  be  seen  on  that  bloody  thea- 
ter ?     One  of  the  English  42s,  in  a  dismantled  state, 
IS  dropping  slowly  at  a  distance  under  the  wind,  and 
the   other  has   already  struck  its  flag,   and  is  lying 
motionless  on  the  ocean,  a  floating  ruin ! 

The  French  ship  is  hardly  in  a  better  plight,  and  the 
last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  show  her  deck  strewed  with 
the  dead  and  the  dying.  But  the  glorious  image  of  v',.. 
tory  flits  before  the  dimmed  vision  of  the  dying,  and 
they  expire  with  the  smile  of  triumph  on  their  lip's',  and 
with  the  exulting  shout  of  "  J^mnce  forever  r 

But  where  is  the  conqueror  ?     Where  is  the  gallant 
commander,  whose  success  sounds  like  a  fable?     My 
heart  longs  to  see  him  safe,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
well-earned  glory.      Ah !    there    he  is,  kneeling  and 
crouching  over  the  prostrate   body  of  that  stripling 
whom  I  have  depicted :  he  addresses  the  most  tender 
and  passionate  ai)peals  to  that  senseless  form ;  he  covers 
with  kisses  that  bloody  lu-ad  ;  he  weeps  and  sobs  aloud 
unimndful  of  those  that  look  on.     In  fliitli !  I  weep  mv- 
self,  to  see  the  agony  of  that  noble  heart :  and  why 
should  that  hero  l)lush  to  moan  like  a  mother— he  who 
showed  more  than  human  courage,  when  the  occasion 
recpnred   fortitude?     Weep   on,    l])erville,   weep   on! 
Well  may  such  tears  be  gathered  by  an  angel's  win^-s 
like   dew-drops  worthy  of  heaven,  and,  if  carried   by 


''ill 


.V 


^1! 


^1 


IBERVILLE  AND  BIENVILLE. 

supplicating  mercy  to  the  foot  of  the  Almio-hfv'«  fl, 
tliey  may  yet  redeem  thy  brother's  l^e"^'^ ' *'"^^' 

toKr;r  wv  sn;"^-  ^^^  -  <^-ined 

n,.-i   4     1,      /     iiistoiy  under  the  name  of  BienvJllp 
Im  name  in    hi  !!         t""  °™  '**  ''^'■'^*»«<'.  «■"! 

million.  of  human  being"  """"^  <=°""*'«^ 

The  «'o.Hleif„I  achievement  which  I  ha™  ™i  *  i  • 
a  matter  of  historical  record  a«,T  T,      "*"''■  "^ 

and  romance  .vonTZ} u^^'' "J'f ''' ^^'"^ 
%ured  so  conspicuously  rth™nab"'ofT  "'  """ 
who,  in  the  beginning  rfJirhlr  00  °^]:°'"fT'  '""^ 
s-ippi,  accom;anied°  bytatt  AnaC'i L  fo  '"" 

Since  the  occurrence  of  that  batflp  nf  ,  t  t,  t  , 

remarhable  fl  j*'  Tlffeth  rr^  'f  *'  ,  '"""  » 
had  died  on  the  ild  of  b,«r  '  '"''™  ''^  ^"•"'• 

and  out  of  eleven  son,   ^!     '  'T"'"^  '"^  "^'^''^'y. 

brates  tlio  fe^st  of  fl.o  .        <^  atholic  CJiurch  cele- 

pie.andoft':ts;'7r'^!*'^->-- 

flat,  sand,  islands,  which  loot.  iThlf^u'l^sirt 


THEIR  ARRIVAL  AT  CAT  ISLAND. 


43 


.'ire 


back  into  the  sea,  from  shame  of  having  come  into  the 
world  prematurely,  and  before  having  been  shaped  and 
licked  by  nature  into  proper  objects  of  existence.     No 
donbt,  they  did  not  prepossess  the  first  colonists  in 
favor  of  what  they  were  to  expect.     The  French  visited 
also  Ship  Mand,  so  called  from  its  appearing  to  be  a 
safe  roadstead  for  ships,  but  it  offered  to  the  visitors  no 
greater  attraction  than  the  precedent.     The  next  island 
they  made   had   not   a  more   inviting  physiognomy. 
When  they  landed  on  that  forbidding  and  ill-looking 
piece  of  land,  they  found  it  to  be  a  small,  squatting 
island,  covered  with  indifferent  wood,  and  intersected 
with  lagoons.  ^    It  literally  swarmed  M^th  a  curious  kind 
of  animal,  which  seemed  to  occupy  the  medium  l)etween 
the  fox  and  the  cat.     It  was  difficult  to  say  whether  \i 
belonged  to  one   species   in   preference  to  the  other. 
But  one  of  the  French  having  exclaimed,  "  This  h  the 
Ungdom  of  cats  T  decided  the  question,  and  the  name 
of  Cat  Island  was  given  to  the  new  discovery.     Here 
that  peculiar  animal,  which  was   subsequently  to  be 
known  in  the  United  States,  under  the  popular  name 
of  racoon,  formed  a  numerous  and  a  contented  tril)e ; 
here  they  lived  like  philosophei-s,  separated  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  and  enjoying  their  nuts— their  loaves 
and  fishes.     I  invite  fabulists,  or  those  who  have  a  turn 
for  fairy  tales,  to  inquire  into  the  origin  of  that  grimal- 
kin  colony,  and  to  endear  Cat  Island  to  the  juvenility 
of  our  State,  by  reciting  the  marvelous  doings  of  which 
it  Avjis  the  theater. 

It  was  fraught,  however,  with  so  little  iutei'ost  in  the 
estimation  of  the  French,  that  they  hastened  to  leave  it 
for  the  land  they  had  in  sight.  It  formed  a  bay,  the 
shores  of  which  they  found  iidiubited  by  a  tribe  of  In- 
dians, called  Biloxi,  who  proved  as  hospitable  as  their 
name  waa  euphonic. 


bvil 


i:  . 

si  ;    1 


ill 


'  .h 


I  III 


44 


M 


,>i'i':^ 


I  m. 


MOUTH  OF  THR  MISSISSIPPI. 


On  the  27th  of  Fehnnrv  taoa  ti       -n 
ville  departed  fromm-  1099  Ibemlle  and  Bien- 

w.tl>  the  g  „„my  magnificence  of  the  sight     A,  fe.  ^ 

-e.t,jeh,.t„n..h:,:;:;7;rt™a:s 

1  xi  1  .  ,  -^  iooKecl  like  metamorphosed  P-lin«fc 
clothed  in  plumage,  screamed  in  tlie  air  a  T  h.f  ' 
scai'e(   at  each  otluM-     TI.«..  ',  "^^  ^^^^'^ 

in  fi    •     1  ,  ^^^^"^  ''''^'^  someth  n<v  a.>-onizino. 

up  heavly   ,.„n,  the,,,  native  or  fovorite  element  -md 

m-id  frni;..      A         ^         , ,  /     ^-txineti  to  toss  about  m 
.■"ot.ng  all  i^  foreste,  had  Wdcd  th^^rhLtdl 


ITS  DESCRIPTION— TONTL 


45 


missiles  to  hurl  at  the  head  of  his  mighty  rival,  when 
they  should  meet  and  struggle  for  supremacy. 

When  night  began  to  cast  a  darker  hue  on  a  land- 
scape on  which  the  imagination  of  Dante  would  have 
gloated,  there  issued  from  that  chaos  of  reeds  such  un- 
couth and  unnatural  sounds,  as  would  have  saddened 
the  gayest  and  appalled  the  most  intrepid.  Could  this 
be  the  far-famed  Mississippi  ?  or  was  it  not  rather  old 
Avernus  ?  It  was  hideous  indeed — but  hideousness  re- 
fined into  sublimity,  filling  the  soul  with  a  sentiment  of 
grandeur.  Nothing  daunted,  the  adventurers  kept 
steadily  on  their  course :  they  knew  that,  through  those 
dismal  portals,  they  were  to  arrive  at  the  most  mag- 
nificent country  in  the  world ;  they  knew  that  awful 
screen  concealed  loveliness  itself.  It  was  a  coquettish 
freak  of  nature,  Avhen  dealing  with  European  curiosity, 
as  it  came  eagerly  bounding  on  the  Atlantic  wave,  to 
herald  it  through  an  avenue  so  somber,  as  to  cause  the 
wonders  of  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi  to  burst 
with  tenfold  more  force  upon  the  bewildered  gaze  of 
those  who,  by  the  entlurance  of  so  many  perils  and 
fatigues,  were  to  merit  admittance  into  its  Eden. 

It  was  a  relief  for  the  adventurers  when,  after  having 
toiled  up  the  river  for  ten  days,  they  at  last  arrived  at 
the  village  of  the  Bayagoulas.  There  they  found  a  let- 
ter of  Tonti  to  La  Salle,  dated  in  1685.  That  letter,  or 
rather  that  .speahhig  harh,  as  the  Indians  called  it,  had 
been  preserved  with  great  reverence.  Tonti  having 
been  informed  that  La  Salle  wa.s  coming  with  a  fleet 
from  France,  to  settle  a  colony  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, had  not  hesitated  to  set  off  from  the  Northern 
Lakes,  with  twenty  Canadians  and  thirty  Indians,  and 
to  come  down  to  the  Balize  to  meet  his  friend,  who,  as 
we  know,  had  failed  to  make  out  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  had  been  landed  by   Beaujeu    on    the 


P 


tl" 


■M^ 


■■■;* 


46 


EXPLORATIONa 


i !'' 


fame  iadifFarence  to  fatigues  aJdlelrf;:!'^^^ 
>ng  nature  ..etraced  his  tay  back,  lef  vL  a  "eS  l' 
I-WIeto  nform  hin.  of  his  disap^ointmeut     Is  the 

rj nlf  *V.'»'«',n''..'«"l  leaving  a  letter  to  La  Salle 
a  neighbor's  house  «°"mnacy,  leave  a  card  at 

r^^l  omfEed  tt'  t^eir  exploration,  up  to  the 

to  the  tradhinLT  o    ^^^^^^^^^^^  and  listened 

^yj  tu«  iiaaitions  concernmo"  Soto   on^i  +i. 

stories  of +I10  T,,  r  ^  '  ^^  *"®  "^<^^'«  I'ecent 

belonged  trSprLtlZS'ffTh'-""^ 

rST/th^tt  ^^'  ''^-•r^^^^^ 

On  their  return  from  the  mouth  of  thp  T?.,l  !?■ 

tad  seen'td  h^ d  °  Slf  rft,"'  tl/'"'^ 
Manchao  to  those  lakes  Xt„.  T"*^''  ^"y^" 

*e  names  of  Po:ti^a;^l'td  MarLf  T:,"' '" 

that  th"  r^'/™""  *  ^^-^''^  --  i*'  t  in  k ;™: 

that  those  lakes  should  be  called  after  minister t*^^ 
0,;.^: "  """• »"'"  -»''■.  "^i.  h.h.d  ..pp„  b,  „  „„j,„,  „.  „^j^ 


I 


I 


rONTCHARTllAIN. 


47 


ome  time, 
with  the 
m  appall- 
letter  to 
Is  there 
acters  of 
ertakinc. 
>f  nearly 
J  as  it  is 
La  Salle, 
3  would, 
card  at 

'  to  the 
through 
ist  have 
listened 
!  recent 
handed 
having 
eir  en- 
ineh  in 
'ecitala 

River, 
Bayou 
!  river 
'  they 
^ayou 
under 
isiana 
eping 

e  made 


4 

I 


It  has  been  said  that  there  is  something  in  a  name. 
If  it  be  true,  why  should  not  I  tell  you  who  were  those 
from  whom  the  names  of  those  lakes  were  borrowed? 
Is  it  not  something  even  for  inanimate  objects  to  have 
historical  names  ?  It  throws  round  them  the  spell  of 
romance,  and  sets  the  imagination  to  work. 

Louis  Phelyppeaux,  Count  Pontchartrain,  a  minister 
and  chancellor  of  France,  was  the  grandson  of  a  minis- 
ter. He  was  a  man  remarkable  for  his  talents  and 
erudition.  His  integrity  was  proverbial,  and  his  en- 
lightened and  inflexible  administration  of  justice  is 
found  recorded  in  all  the  annals  of  the  time.  When 
he  was  appointed  to  the  exalted  office  of  Chancellor  of 
France,  Louis  the  XlVth,  on  administering  to  him  the 
required  oath,  said,  "  Sir,  I  regret  that  it  is  not  in  my 
power  to  bestow  upon  you  a  higher  office,  as  a  proof 
of  my  esteem  for  your  talents,  and  of  my  gratitude  for 
your  services." 

Pontchartrain  patronized  letters  with  great  zeal,  and 
during  his  long  career,  was  the  avowed  friend  of 
Boileau  and  of  J.  B.  Eousseau,  the  poet.  He  was  of  a 
very  diminutive  size,  but  very  well  shaped,  and  had 
that  lean  and  hungry  look  which  Caesar  did  not  like  in 
Cassius.  His  face  wfis  one  of  the  most  expressive,  and 
his  eyes  were  lighted  up  with  incessant  scintillations, 
denoting  the  ebullitions  of  wit  within.  If  his  features 
promised  a  great  deal,  his  mind  did  more  than  redeem 
the  physical  pledge.  There  is  no  question,  however 
abstruse,  which  he  did  not  understand  as  if  by  intuition, 
and  his  capacity  for  labor  appeared  to  stretch  as  far  as 
the  limits  allotted  to  human  nature.  He  was  constitu- 
tionally indefatigable  in  all  his  pursuits  ;  and  his  knowl- 
edge of  men,  which  was  perhaps  superior  to  all  his 
other  qualifications,  remarkal)le  as  they  were,  greatly 
helped  his  iron  will  in  the  successful  execution  of  its 


,K 


Ml 


:|   i  II 


48 


I'l' 


|W 


PONTCHARTRAIJT. 


y,  lio  ,  „l  no    ass,,,,,,.  tl,o  ga,-b  „f  ,„isnntl„.„,,y.     ol 
the  co,,t,-,.,y  l„s  „„„„„„.,  ..,,„k„  „f  „  i.,„rt  „„  ,Lvi„^ 

v.t,i,  ti...  „„k  of  i„„„„„  ,„.,„„,,,,,,„„.  „„j  ,,i,,„7;« 

ma  o,   s|„.,-kl„,g    w,th    vivacity  „n,l  repartee    was 
enge,-Iy  so,,,,  ,t  „fte,..     1,;  „„  ,„„„„„  „f  ^^"^  J^ 

™|.u  .ty  or..o,„,.ptio„,  those  l,e  I,a,l  t,,  d,;i  J^tJZ 
-  .lei,«l,te,l  tl,„.so   wi,l.  «.|,o,„  he  associate    'i,]i^ 
l.«li  e,.  ho„,s,  l,y  his  ,„n,l  eh„e,.f„h,css  and  hyhZZ 
.."ml    po«.e,.   ,.v„„   „„   t,,„   ,„.^,,,  trifles/ Nrmn 
b>^  better  tl,a„  l,e,  how  to  te,„per  the  hii,I,  ,li,  ™  " 
"     us  statu,,,  hy  the  „t,„ost  saavit'y  ami  sin^,  i  ^  I? 
ml.l,-ess.     Yet  ,„  that  ,„au  who,  co„scio.,s  of  the  .,  iserv 
.e  m,,,l,t  .,.«„,  was  so  .„a,,l„l  i„  hi,  e.vp,  J,  .i^^    ,1^ 
1..'  "ever  «-,«  I,et,aye,l  i„t„  a„  „„ki„.l  one_i„  t  tt 

■  ..yt.sty  ot  <le|„„-t„,e„t_tho,.e  was   s«„,ethin"    more 
drea,  e,,      „.    ,„.„  ,,      ,„,„^,^  j,^,^,,^,_^  ^^.  ^^^_= J-  e 

otlu  u     It  waa  a  .««*,  pee-.iiar  to  hi,„self,  which  „,a<le 

[  7:,-;t"'';"'''p'"-^'^'  ■■"'  -•""  j^o^tchart,! 

,    ■''.'",'  '"""  I'»nteha,'t,-ai„  had  smile,!       That 
ton    hat  he  P„„tchart,-a,„  s,„iK.  l,oca„,e,  at  the  eo„,1. 

w/"  In  -u  "*:■""'' r  '"""•"  -^^  •'■»  ^«"*"""' 

'W-       lu    1 1 4,  res,8t,.,g  the  ent,'eaties  of  the  kin.,   he 
-.gned  h,s  eha„cello,.hip,  and  retiriug  into  the  S,,  e 
h    dett:';";^  «'»S-ptio„  (L.,  pr^tr^  de  rc-atoi,; 


■I 


11  :|H 


MAUREPAS. 


49 


Ou 


was 


Jean  Frederic  riielyj.peaux,  Count   Mauropas,  waa 
the  son  of  Jeroiue  riielypi,(,aux,  a  minister  and  secre- 
tary of  state,  and  the  ^'randson  of  Pontchartrain  the 
cliancellor.     At  the  a-e  of  fourteen,  he  was  appointed 
secretary  of  state,  and  in   1Vl>5,  in  his  twenty-fourth 
year,  beomne  minister.     This  remarkable  family  thus 
presented  an  uninterrupted  succession  of  ministers  for 
one  hundred    and  seventy-one   years.     The  obstinacy 
with  which  prosperity  clung  to  her  favorites  appeared 
so  strange  that  it  worked  upon  the  imagination  of  the 
superstitious,  or  of  the  ignorant,  and  was  attri))uted  at 
the  tune  to  some  unholy  compact  and  to  the  protection 
ot  su])ernatural  beings.     Cradled  in  the  lap  of  power 
Maurepas  exhibited  in  his  long  career  all  the  defect^ 
which  are  usually  observ(;d  to  grow  Aviththe  growth  of 
everyspoiled  child  of  fortune.     lie  was  as  capricious  as 
the  wind,  and  as  light  as  the  feather  with  which  it  de- 
lights  to  gambol.     The  frivolity  of  his  character  was 
such  that  It  could  not  be  modified  even  by  extreme  old 
age.     Superficial  in  every  thing,  he  was  incapable  of 
g.ving  any  serious  attention  to  such  matters  as  would 
trom  their  very  nature,  command  the  deep  considera^ 
tion  of  most  men.     Perhaps  he  relied  too  much  on  his 
p_i-od,gious  facility  of  perception,  and  on  a  mind  so 
gitted,  that  It  could,  in  an  instant,  unravel  the  knots  of 
the  most   complicated   affair.     In   the   king's  council 
his  profound  knowledge  of  men  and  of  the  court,  a  sori 
of  hereditary  ministerial  training  to  business,  imperfect 
^^s  It  was,  enabled  him  to  conceal  to  a  certain  degree  his 
lamentable  deficiency  of  study  and  of  meditation.     As 
It  were  by  instinct,  if  not  by  the  diviner's  rod,  he  could 
stamp  on  the  ground  and  point  out  where  the  fruits 
ot  .ac  earth  lay  concealed ;  but  instead  of  usin^  the 
spade  and  mattock  in  search  of  the  treasure,  he  would 
nm  after  the  li.st  butterfly  that  caught  his  eye     To 


't  r 


m 


MAUKRI'AS. 


m-..Mcilo  Tuon  to  Lis  iini.orf,.,.ti,)nH,   imtiirn  ],m!  -ivcn 
luin  H  l).'\vitclilM-Mu,>('tn«.M.s(>f  fcini.cr,  wlii<-l,  was  nov-r 
f<mii(l   wuntin-       Vvlmxo,  supph.,  and   insin.mtin-  in 
hiK  nmiuioi-s,  Ii,.    was  as  pliant   as  a   hmm)  :    f.-.tiN'  in 
com-tly  Htrata,i,'('ins,  oxp.M-t  in   |..,yin.,'  out  tra|>s,  ])itfalls, 
nml  Minhiiscadcs  for  his  onnnirs,  he  was  «'qnally  .si<ill(ul 
in  tlu.  art  of  attack  and  (l(>f,.„s,.,  and  no  IVotr'us  could 
assunu.  more   varied  shapes  to  elude  th(^  f-msp  of  his 
Hdversari(>s.     'Humv  was  no  wall  to  wl.ich  lie  coul.l  bo 
dnye.i,  wher(>  h(>  c<.uld  not  find  an  apertt.n^  throui^di 
which  <o  nwike   his  escape.      No  hunt(«d  .hvr  <.ver  sur- 
l.a>.s,.d  him  in  throwin-  out  the  intricat*.  wiudin-s  of 
Ins  flight,  t,)  mislead  his  sa-i^acious  pursuers,     WIktc  ho 
unc\pect<Mlly  fo.uid  hiinseif  stared   in  the  face  hy  some 
allair,  the  seri«>us  complexion  of  which  he  did  not  like, 
he   would  exorcise  the  apparition  jtway  l)y  a  ])!-ofuso 
sprinkli.io^  of  witty  jests,  cnlctdated  to  l,>ss(>n  the  im- 
l>orfance  of  tlu>  hnted  ,)l>jcct,  or  to  divert  from  it  the 
attention  of  p.M-sous  interested  in  its  examination.     Wo 
Ulysses  could  he  more  repK-te  than  he  with  exp»>di,>nta 
t4>  extricate  himself  out  of  all  dilliculties;  hut  the  mo- 
ment ho   was  out  of  dan-er,  ho  wouhl  throw  hinisidf 
down,  pantinn-   with  his    rec.Mit  efforts,  and   think   of 
iiothinir  olse  than    to  luxuriate  on   the    couch    of    re- 
pose, or  to  amuse  himself  with  trifles. 

Maure]ias  in  juon^  than  one  respect,  was  made  up 
of  contrarieties,  a  livin-r  antith.sis  in  flesh  and  Mood,  a 
Ptrann;,^  coni])ound  of  activity  an.l  indoKMico  that  puzzled 
iho  woi-ld.  Upon  th(>  whole,  h(>  was  j-onerallv  thou-ht 
to  be,  by  superficial  observois,  a  harmioss,  irood-natuivd 
eiwy  soit  of  man.  But  withal,  in  spite  of  his  habitual 
supn.eness,  ho  could  rival  the  lynx,  when  ho  ap])li(Hl 
the  ktHMUiess  of  his  eyo  to  detect  the  weak,  ridiculous, 
or  contemptible  parts  in  the  formation  of  his  fellow- 
beings:  and  no  spider  could  weave  such  tui  imjcrcopt- 


^1:1 


MAUREPAS. 


51 


ibl((  but  cei-tiiin  web  around  those  court  flies  he  wanted 
ta  destroy,  or  to  use  to  his  own  purposes.     lie  wtw 
born  n  trifler,  but  one  of  a  redoubtable  nature,  and 
from  his  tenip<>ranu'nt  jus  well  jus  from  his  vicious  educa- 
tion, there  wtus  nothing  so  respected,  so  august,  or  even 
8o  awful,  tus  not  to  be  laughed  or  scoffed  at  by  him. 
There  was  no  merit,  no  virtue,  no  generous,  no  mord 
or  religious  belief  or  faith  in  any  thing,  that  he  would 
not  deride,  and  he  would  sneer  even  at  himself,  or  at 
his  own  family,  with  the  same  relish,  when  the  mood 
came  upon  him.     Yet,  woi-thless  lus  that  man  was  in  his 
private  and  public  character,  he  had  such  a  i^eculiar 
turn  for  throwing  the  rich  glow  of  health  around  what 
wjus  most  rotten  in  the  state ;   he  could  present  to  his 
nnuster  and  to  his  colleagues,  the  dryest  matter  under 
such  an  enlivening  jv^i)ect,  when  they  met  in  the  coun- 
cil-chamber ;  he  could  render  a])parently  so  simjile  what 
seemed  so  complicated  m  to  recpiire  the  most  arduous 
labor;  and  he  could  solve  the  most  difficult  political 
problem  with  such  ease,  that  it  looked  like  magic,  and 
made  him  the  most  fjiscinating  of  ministers. 

For  such  a  king  as  Ix>uis  \\ie  XVth,  who  felt  with 
great  sensitiveness  any  thing  that  disturbed  the  volup- 
tuous tranquillity  which  wtks  the  sole  object  of  his  life, 
Maurepjks,  as  a  minister,  had  a  most  precious  quality! 
Born  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  court,  he  was  intimately 
ac(iuainted  with  his  native  element,  and  excelled  in 
hushing  that  low  buzzing  of  discontent,  so  disagreeable 
to  a  monarch,  which  arises  from  the  unsatisfied  ambi- 
tion, the  jeidousy,  and  the  quarrels  of  his  immediate 
attendants.  None  knew  better  than  Maurepas  the 
nsj^ges  and  secrets  of  the  court,  and  how  to  reconcile 
the  conflicting  interests  of  those  great  families  that 
gravitate  round  the  throne.  He  knew  exactly  what 
was  due  to  every  one,  either  for  personal  merit  or  for 


1 11 


n 


52 


MAUREPAS. 


ill 


"i 


ancestral  distinction.  His  was  tlie  art  to  nip  in  the 
bud  all  factions  or  cabals,  to  stifle  the  grumblings  of 
discontent,  or  to  lull  the  murmurs  of  offended  i)ride. 
He  knew  how  to  make  the  grant  of  a  favor  doubly 
precious  by  the  manner  in  which  it  was  offered ;  and 
the  bitterness  of  refusal  was  either  sweetened  by  assu- 
rances of  regret  and  of  personal  devotion,  or  by  a  happy 
mixture  of  reasoning  and  pleasantry,  which, 'if  it  did 
not  convince  the  mind,  forced  disajopointment  itself  to 
smile  at  its  own  bad  luck. 

With  all  his  faults,  such  a  minister  had  too  much  in- 
nate talent  not  to  do  some  good,  in  spite  of  his  frivolity. 
Thus,   he   made  great   improvements   and    embellish- 
ment in  the  city  of  Paris;  he  infused  new  life  into  the 
marine  depai'tment,  corrected  many  abuses,  visited  all 
the  harbors  and  arsenals,  sent  officers  to  survey  all  the 
coasts   of  France,  had   new   maps  made,    established 
nautical  schools,  and  ordered  the  expeditions  of  learned 
men  to  several  parts   of  the  world.     Geometers  and 
astronomers,  according  to  his  instructions,  went  to  the 
ecpiator  and  near  the  boreal  pole,  to  measure,  at  the 
same  time  and  ])y  a  concurrent  operation,  two  degrees 
of  the  meridian.    Thus,  La  Condamine,  Bouguer,  Godin, 
Maupertuis,  Clairaut,  and  Lemonnier,  were  indebted  to 
him  for  their  celebrity.     Also,  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands, Sevin  and  Fourmont  visited  Greece  and  several 
provinces  of  tlie  East ;    others  surveyed  Mesopotamia 
and  Persia,  and  Jussieu  departed  to  study  the  botany 
of  Peru. 

That  frivolous  minister  did,  through  his  strong  natu- 
ral sagacity,  partially  discover  that  commerce  ought  to 
be  unshackled,  and  withdrew  from  the  India  Company 
the  monopoly  of  the  coflfee  trade  and  of  the  slave  trade. 
By  such  a  wise  measure,  he  largely  contributed  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  French  colonies.     But,  in  such  an  ele- 


..»s 


MAUREPAa 


53 


vated  region  of  thought,  conception,  and  action,  Maure- 
pas  was  too  boyish  to  remain  long.     He  would  confide 
the  labors  of  his  office  to  those  whom  it  was  his  duty  to 
guide,  and  would  steal  away  to  the  balls  of  the  opera, 
or  to  every  sort  of  dissipation.     If  he  remained  in  the 
cabinet  destined  to  his  official  occupations,  it  was  not  to 
think  and  to  act  in  a  manner  Avorthy  of  the  minister 
but  to  write  lampoons,  scurrilous  drolleiies,  and  facetious 
obscenities.     He  took  a  share  in  the  composition  of  sev- 
eral   licentious   pieces,   well  suited  to   the   taste  and 
morals  of  the  time,  and  contrilmted  to  one  which  at- 
tracted some  attention,  under  the  title  of  The  Ballet  of 
tJw  Turleys.     These  things  were  not,  for  him,  the  result 
of  a  momentary  debauch  of  the  mind,  but  matters  of 
serious  occupation  and  pursuit.     Such  a  relish  did  he 
find  in  this  pastime,  which  would  be  called  childish  If 
it  had  not  been  tainted  with  immorality,  that  it  took 
the  mastery  over  his  prudence,  and  he  had  the  indis- 
cretion to  write  a  lampoon  on  the  physical  charms  of 
the  Marquise  dc  Pompadour,  the  acknowledged  favorite 
of  Louis  the  XVth.     The  })ruriency  of  his  wit  cost  him 
his  place,  and  in   1749,  after  having  been  a  minister 
twenty-four  years,  he  was  exiled  to  the  city  of  Bourges, 
and  afterward  permitted  to  reside  at  his    Clmteau  de 
Pontchartnun,  near  Paris.     There,  his  princely  fortune 
allo\yed  him  to  live  In  splendor,  and  to  attach  a  sort  of 
mimic  court  to  his  person.     He  appeared  to  bear  his 
fall  with  philosophical  indiffierence,  observing  that,  (m 
tlie  first  day  of  his  dismissal,  he  felt  sore;  hut  that  on 
the  next^  he  ivas  entirely  consoled. 

On  the  death  of  Louis  the  XVth,  his  successor  sent 
for  Maurepas,  to  put  him  at  the  helm  of  that  royal  shij), 
destined  soon  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  in  that  tremendous 
storm  whlcli  might  be  seen  gathering  from  the  four 
quarters  of  the  horizon.     The  unfortunate  Louis  could 


r      'I 

% 


|!^ 


i  'I 


.(1 


64 


MAUREPAS, 


I       1 


not  have  marie  a  poorer  clioice.     Maurepas  had  sagacity 
enough  to  discover  the  coming  events,  but  L.  waa  not 
the  man,  even  if  the  power  had  been  in  liis  liands  to 
prepare   for  the   struggle   with   those  gigantic   evils 
whose  shadow  lie  could  see  already  darkening  the  face 
ot  ais  country.     Such  an  attempt  would  have  interfered 
with  his  delightful  suppers  and  disturbed  his  sleep; 
and  to  the  Cassandraa  of  that  epoch,  the  egotistical  old 
man  used  to  reply  with  a  sneer  and  a  shrug  of  his 
shoulders,  "The  present  organization  of  things  will  last 
as  long  as  I  shall,  and  why  should  I  look  beyond !" 
This  obs(>rvation  was  in  keeping  with  the  whole  tenor 
ot  his  lif(, ;  and,  true  to  the  system  which  he  had  adopt- 
ed,  if  he  lived  and  died  in  peace,  what  did  he  care  for 
the  rest?     He  had  no  children,  and  when  he  married 
m  all  the  vigor  of  youth,  those  who  knew  him  inti- 
mately, })re(licted  that  the  bridal  l)ed  would  remain 
barren.     The  prediction  proved  true,  and  had  not  re- 
quired any  <'xtraordinary  })owers  of  divination.     Is  it 
astonishing  that  the  lineal  descendant  of  a  succession 
ot  ministers  should  be  witli,)ut  virility  of  mind,  soul,  or 
body  ?     What   herculean  strength,  what  angel  purity 
would  have  resisted  the  deleterious  influence  i>f  such  an 
atmosphere,  working,  for  nearly  two  centuries,  slow  but 
sure  mischief,  from  generation  to  generation  ? 

After  having  been  a  minister  for  six  years  under 
Louis  the  XVIth,  Maurejm  died  in  1781.  So  infatii- 
ated  was  the  king  with  his  octogenarian  minister,  that 
he  had  insisted  upon  his  occupying,  at  the  Palace  of 
Versailles,  an  apartment  abov.>  his  own  roval  chamber- 
and  every  morning,  the  lirst  thing  that  the  kin.--  did' 
was  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  minister.  Pheasant  thos(rvisitg 
were,  because  tlu.  wily  old  minister  presented  every 
thing  to  his  young  master  under  the  most  glowiiiir  col- 
ors,  and  made  him  believe  that  his  almost  ceutemirian 


*« 


LAKE  BORONE. 


50 


experience  would  smooth  the  rugged  path  that  extended 
before  him.  If  parliaments  rebelled,  if  fleets  were  de- 
feated, if  provinces  were  famished,  Maurepas  had  no 
unpalatable  truths  to  say.  Only  once,  the  eaves-drop- 
pers heard  his  voice  raised  above  its  usual  soft  tone. 
What  frightful  convulsion  of  nature  could  have  pro- 
duced such  a  change?  None  but  the  daath  of  a  cat! 
Distracted  with  the  shrieks  of  his  wife,  whose  trouble- 
some four-footed  favorite,  interfering  with  the  king 
when  engaged  in  his  darling  occupation  of  a  black- 
smith, had  been  killed  by  an  angry  blow  of  the  royal 
hammer,  he  loudly  expostulated  with  the  murderer  for 
the  atrociousness  of  the  deed.  What  must  have  been 
his  dread  of  his  wife,  when  under  the  cabalistic  influ- 
ence of  her  frowns,  such  a  courtier  could  so  completely 
drop  the  prud(Mitial  policy  of  his  whole  life,  as  to  ven- 
ture to  show  displeasure  to  the  king ! 

When  Maurepas  died,  the  king  shed  tears,  and  said 
with  a  faltering  voice,  "  Alas !  in  the  morning,  for  the 
future,  when  I  shall  wake  up,  no  longer  shall  I  hear  the 
grateful  sound  to  which  I  was  used — the  slow  pacing 
of  my  friend  in  the  room  above  mine."  Very  little  de- 
serving of  tliis  testimonial  of  frieiulship  was  he,  who 
never  loved  any  tiling  in  tliis  world  but  himself. 

^  So  much  for  l\)ntchartrain  and  Maure})as,  who  have 
given  their  names  to  those  beautiful  lakes  Avhich  are 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  0]-leans.  From  Lake  Pontchar- 
train,  Iberville  arrived  at  a  sheet  of  water  which  is 
known  in  our  days  under  tlie  name  of  Lake  Borgne. 
The  French,  thinking  that  it  did  not  answer  precisely 
the  definition  of  a  lake,  because  it  was  not  altogether 
land-locki'd,  or  did  not  at  Icji^t  discharge  its  Avaters  only 
through  a  small  a])ci'ture,  and  because  it  looked  rather 
like  a  part  of  the  sea,  sei)arated  from  its  main  Ixxly 
by  numerous  islands,  called  it  Lake  Borgne,  meaning 


lA^ 


I  tl 


I|! 


i  -f ' 


•j  If 


56 


ST.  LOUIS. 


«in,  inoon.ploto  or  do^.tivo,  like   a  .au  with 
On  tl.Ht  lako,  tlu.n.  is  n  b.nntifnl  bay,  to  wlm-h  Ihor 
•"-••^^  1-tty  one,  „o  pla.o  .nu  boast  un.lor  Z  bid 

lAMiistlu.  IXth,sou  of  Louis  tl.o  Vlllt],  or  10,.., 
t     '       on  ;-^  '""  •.'•^^'•••-•"'••"-X  <>^'  virtuo  born  on 

'•™.K. -Ill    ::';;•';,:;■''■■';:;;^'■r''■'''^f 
'"""",^'  m,.„;nvl„,  1„.  „„Ht,  l„.  ,,,„k,.,|  ,,,  „„'„:,,: 

r.""",'"'^ "-'^"'" ^" !<■<  K.  :■' ,; 

iiifioi.  •  "  \l..  ,  """  Tins  soI.Mnn  a(hno- 

intion  .      Ms  son,  ivnu-nibcr  tliat  I  l,,.,i  ,..,h.  ... 

*^''''^' <'''•'•' -•»-^'''*Iin.-vour(^,dlvtl"'-^^^^ 
dt'adiv  si.."     \vi        1  -^       *    t'onunission  of  a 

Jtvts,  atid  ni  war  ho  proved  fl,.w    i.  . 

:^;';i!l:;:::^:u^;:::1.:;:'■r•;;;i;:,;•:;--^^ 

of  valor.     IIo.^.,iPed•,noI,..  •'     '^^  "^'^'''^  Fo.Iii^uvs 

I'nfortunati'lv    tln>   T»l..fu    a*  *i      i  • 


i  I 


ST.  LOUIS. 


57 


his  suLjocts,  drov(i  him  into  one  of  tliose  crnaades, 
wiiich  the  cold  judi^nncMit  of  tlie  stutesinun  may  bliime, 
but  iit  Avhieh  the  imaii;^! nation  of  the  lover  of  I'oinanee 
will  certainly  not  repine.  In  li»4*.),  Louis  landiul  in 
Eii:y|)t,  took  tlie  city  of  IJaniiiitta,  and  advanc^ed  as  far 
as  iMass(Mirah.  Hut  aft(M-  s(!vei'al  victories,  Avherehy  he 
lost  the  ^creater  part  of  his  army,  he  was  r<Hluced  to 
shut  hims(ilf  up  in  his  camp,  where  famine  and  pesti- 
lence so  decimated  the  i'eeble  remnant  of  Ins  forces, 
that  he  was  constrained  to  snrremler  to  the  host  of 
enemies  by  whom  lie  was  enveloped,  lie  mii^ht  have 
escaped,  however;  but  to  those  who  advis(>d  him  to 
consult  his  own  personal  safety,  he  i^ave  this  noble  an- 
swer: "  I  nmst  share  in  lift!  or  in  death  the  fate  of  my 
companions." 

Tlu!  Sultan  had  oll'ered  to  his  prisoner  to  set  him 
free,  on  condition  that  he  would  o^ive  u])  Damietta  ami 
pay  one  hundred  thousand  silver  marks.  Louis  re- 
plied, that  a  kins':  t'f  Frances  m>ver  ransojut'd  himself 
for  money;  but  that  he  would  yield  Damietta  iji  ex- 
chano-(>  for  his  own  ]u>rson,  and  i)ay  om>  huiulred  thou- 
sand silver  marks  in  exchange  tor  such  of  his  subjtH'ts 
as  were  pi'isoners.  Such  was  the  course  of  lu'-jfotiation 
betwt'cn  the  two  sovereisj^ns,  wIumi  it  was  suddenly  ar- 
rested by  the  murder  of  the  Sultan,  who  fell  a  victim 
to  the  unruly  ])assions  of  his  jani/ai'ies.  Tlu>y  had 
rebt'lled  against  tlioir  master,  for  havini;-  attem])te(i  to 
subjtrt  them  to  a  state  of  discipline,  irksome  to  their 
habits  and  humiliatins?  to  their  hiwless  pride.  Some  of 
those  rullians  pcMu^trated  into  the  prison  of  Louis,  and 
om^  o\'  them,  presenting-  him  with  the  <,^ory  head  of  the 
Sultan,  asked  the  Fnmch  moiuirch  what  reward  he 
would  o-rant  him  for  the  d(>struction  of  his  enemy.  A 
haughty  lo()k  of  contempt  was  the  only  answer  vou»'h- 
«afcd  by  Louis.     J*:nrao-ed  at  this  numifestation  of  dis- 


'11 


:ir 


ST.  LOUIS. 

command  as  if  he  ha,)  h7^  !\  "^  """"''  '""y^^ty  »? 
-yal  palace  f  tL  Lo':  e"  ""T  T,"'  *''™"'  "''"'' 
and  overawed  by  the 7.7  ■  "'""'  '"  "">  ■•«''uke, 
-ch'.  face,  fe  Safa  en  SkeV'''""""  °'  *^  "- 
eo.npani„n,  when  Te^S  fto'^r '/f  *""^ 
-;^ep,.„nde.ChH.«an  that  hit;  I'eToC 

contwed";i^j:tdTi:  '■""*^  °'  P^-  -  "'  1-* 
the  Saracens  ree:,  "a  f™  .TeT"!™!  "'"^■■'^*^'' ' 
thousand  marks  of  silveTand  '",^^'  ^""^"^ 

Damietta.    But  thevrt;  ""^T"™'"''  "'«  "it^  °f 

Bion  of  all  the  pleLt  ™T  *        '■-^  ''*'  '"'^"• 
wrested  from  the  ChH..  f' ""  ''■'"'*   "'"'l  heen 

ple,«ed.  "'*""'^'  '""*  *<>  *»rtify  them  as  he 

When  the  king-  landofl  I'n  t.^ 

the  wildest  delir     ,  '''Z,T''''"^  ^°  ^'  ""'-'^^  «'"' 
to  Paris,  he  wa    Z  l,v  "''^/'•''™  *«  "^--'^t 

children,'  who  IZ  I  *  ,■?:,:    'T'  "•°-"'  ^^ 
«hrieks,  and  kissed  his  fee      „d  ,,  '""f  "•"""" 

ments,  as  if  he  had  been  iTl  ,        '"""  "^  '"'  S^r- 

to  give  them  the  a^su  r^^:  ^  T ?  ^r™° 

testimonials  of  gratitude,  ext  m  .  t,  "  ^^  ™°'« 
were  not  more  than  he  deserve  '  r  T  '""^  "''I"''"-' 
to  his  proud  nobles  "Our  If  ,  ,  '  "'"'  "*'''  *»  '"^ 
common  n.as.er,  ™d'  in      c  ',t       >"  *°  ^''■■''^*'  "" 

--..ottenthatwlIr^'^t^hSltlS 


ST.  LOUIS, 


59 


have  been  beloved  by  the  people !     How  could  it  be 
otherwise,  when  they  saw  him  repeatedly  visiting  every 
part  of  his  dominions,  to  listen  to  the  complaints  of  his 
meanest  subjects!     They  knew  that  he  used  to  sit,  at 
Vincennes,  under  a  favorite  oak,  which  has   become 
celebrated   from  that  circumstance,  and  there  loved, 
with  august  simplicity,  to  administer  justice  to   high 
and  low.     It  was  there   that   he  rendered  judgment 
against  his  own  brother,  Le  Comte  d'Anjou ;  it  was 
there  that  he  forced  one  of  his  most  powerful  barons, 
Enguerrand  de  Coucy,  to  bow  to  the  majesty  of  the 
law.     It  was  he  whose  enlightened  piety  knew  how  to 
check  the  unjust  pretensions  of  his  clergy,  and  to  keep 
them  Avithin  those  bounds  which  they  were  so  prone  to 
overleap.     It  was  he  who  contented  himself  with  re- 
torting  to  those  who  railed  at  his  pious  and  laborious 
life,  » If  I  gave  to  hunting,  to  gambling,  to  tournaments, 
and  to  every  sort  of  di.ssipation,  the  moments  which  I 
devote  to  prayer  and  meditation,  I  should  not  be  found 
fault  with." 

Louis  undertook  a  second  Crusade ;  and  having  en- 
camped on  the  site  of  old  Carthage,  prepared  to  com- 
mence the  siege  of  Tunis,  to  which  it  is  almost  contigu- 
ous.    There,  privations  of  every  sort,  incessant  fatigue, 
and  the  malignant  influence  of  the  climate,  produced 
an   epidemical   disease,  which   rapidly  destroyed   the 
strength  of  his  army.     His  most  powerful  barons  and 
most  skillful  captains  died  in  a  few  days ;  his  favorite 
son,  the  Count  de  Nevers,  expired  in  his  arms ;  his  eld- 
est born,  the  presumptive  heir  to  the  crown,  had  })een 
attacked  by  the  pestilence,  and  was  struggling  against 
death,  in  a  state  of  doubtful  convalescence ;  \vhen,  to 
increase  the  dismay  of  tlie  French,  Louis  himself  caught 
the  infection.     Aware  of  api)roacliing  death,  he  oi-dered 
himself  to  be  stretched  on  ashes ;  wishing,  he,  the  great 


m 

Mil 


j'  Pi 


I  'm 


!f  a 


m"  'i 


'I 


I  :r  I 


r  ' 


60 


ST.  LOUIS. 


if      'M' 


king  to  die  with  all  the  humility  of  a  Christian.  At 
the  foot  of  his  bed  of  a.shes,  stood  a  large  cross,  bearing 
the  image  of  the  crucified  Savior,  upon  which  he  loved 
to  rest  hLs  eyes,  as  on  the  pledge  of  his  future  salvation. 
Around  him,  the  magnates  of  France  and  his  own  im- 
mediate attendants  knelt  on  the  ground,  which  they 
bathed  with  tears,  and  addressed  to  Heaven  the  most 
teryeiit  prayers  for  the  recovery  of  the  precious  life, 
which  was  threatened  with  sudden  extinguishment. 

Out  of  the  royal  tent,  grief  was  not  less  expressive. 
Ihe  silence  of  despair,  made  more  solemn  by  occasional 
groans,  reigned  absolute  over  the  suffering  multitude 
that   had   agglomerated   on    the    accursed   Numidian 
shore ;  and  the  whole  army,  distracted,  as  it  were,  at 
the  danger  which  menaced  its  august  head,  seemed  to 
have  been  struck  with  palsy  by  the  horror  of  its  situa- 
tion,    rhe  dying  were  hardly  attended  to,  so  much  en- 
grossed were  their  atteiuhmts  by  heavier  cares;  and 
even    hey,  the  dying,  were  satisfied  to   perish,  since 
they  thus  escaped  the  bitterness  of  their  present  fate  • 
and  their  loss  elicited  no  expression  of  regret  from  their 
survivors,  so  much  absorbed  were  they  by  the  fear  of  a 
greater  misfortune  to  them  and  to  France.     There  an- 
peared  to  be  a  sort  of  frightful  harmony  between  the 
surrounding  objects  and  the  human  sufferings  to  which 
they  formed  an  appropriate  frame.     The  winds  seemed 
to  have  departed   forever  from  the  earth;  the  atmo- 
sphere  had  no  breath ;  and  the  air  almost  condensed 
Itself  into  something  palpable  ;  it  fell  like  molten  lead 
upon  the  lungs  which  it  consumed.     The   motionless 
sea  was  smoothed  and  glassed  into  a  mirror  reflecting 
the  heat  of  the  lurid  sun :  it  looked  dead.     Beasts  of 
prey,  hyenas,  jackals,  and  wolves,  attracted  by  the  nox- 
ious effluvia  which  issued  from  the  camp,  filled  rhe  eal-s 
With  thoir  dismal  bowlings.     From  the  deep  blue  sky 


ST.  LOUIS, 


61 


''^l 


there  came  no  refreshing  shower,  but  shrieks  of  hungiy 
vultures,  glancing  down  at  the  feast  prepared  for  them, 
and  screaming  with  impatience  at  the  delay.  The  en- 
emy himself  ha  A  retreated  to  a  distance,  from  fear  of 
the  contagion,  and  had  ceased  those  hostilities  which 
used  momentarily  to  relieve  the  minds  of  the  French 
from  the  contemplation  of  their  situation.  They  were 
reduced  to  such  a  pitch  of  misery  as  to  regi-et  that  no 
human  foes  disturbed  the  solitude  where  they  were 
slowly  perishing ;  and  their  eyes  were  fixed  in  unutter- 
able woe  on  those  broken  pyramids,  those  mutilated 
columns,  those  remnants  of  former  ages,  of  faded  glo- 
ries, on  those  eloquent  ruins,  which,  long  before  the 
time  when  they  sheltered  Marius,  spoke  of  nothing  but 
past,  present,  and  future  miseries. 

Such  was  the  scene  which  awaited  Louis  on  his 
death-bed.  It  was  enough  to  strike  despair  into  the 
boldest  heart,  but  he  stood  it  unmoved.  A  perpetual 
smile,  such  as  grace  only  the  lips  of  the  blessed,  en- 
livened  his  face;  he  looked  round  not  only  mthout 
dismay,  but  with  an  evangelical  serenity  of  soul.  He 
knew  well  that  the  apparent  evils  which  he  saw,  were 
a  mere  passing  trial,  inflicted  for  the  benefit  of  the  suf- 
ferers, and  for  some  goodly  purpose ;  he  knew  that  this 
transitory  severity  was  the  wise  device  of  infinite  and 
eternal  benignity,  and  therefore,  instead  of  repining,  he 
thanked  God  for  the  chastisement  which  served  only  to 
hasten  the  coming  r.ward.  The  vision  of  the  Christian 
extends  beyond  the  contracted  sphere  of  the  sufferings 
of  humanity,  and  stes  the  crowning  mercies  that  attend 
the  disembodied  spirits  in  a  better  world. 

By  the  manner  in  which  Louis  died,  this  was  strik- 
ingly illustrated.  Calm  and  collected,  after  having  dis- 
tributed words  of  encouragement  to  all  that  could  ap- 
proach him,  he  summoned  his  son  and  successor  to  his 


■''II 


;^ 


■'hi 


I'l 


ST.  LOUIS. 

J»e,lMl<!o  urul  laying  h|,s  hands  <,n  hi^  head  to  ],1,  s..  him 
^•^'    ;';l  I.I",  a  short  and  an  in.pmsHivo  fareuvll.     "My 

-..!    .ud  he./' I  di.  in  ,>oace  with  the  workl  and  with 
..ysolt,  warnn^.  only  aj^^ainst  the,  em-niies  of  our  holy 
fn.th      Ah  a  Christian,  I  have  liv(.l  in  th.  f.ar,  and   [ 
<H>;u-    .nthohopeofCfod.     As  a  man,  I  havj  never 
w.isted  a  thouj,d,t  on  my  own  perishable  body;  and  in 
ohechence  to  the  eonunan<l  of  onr  T.>rd  Jesu.s  Christus 
J  J.Hve  always  for^^otten  ,ny  own  worldly  int(>rest  to 
|"-";f  ^'-^'  <>^'  oti^--     As  a  kin.  I  have  eonsiderc!;! 
.y-lt  J.  my  sn, jests'  servant,  and  not  n.y  snUjee-ts  .« 
""••'.     It,  «us  a  (^hnst.an,  as  a  man,  ami  as  a  kim^  I 

W  errj.l  ,u.<l  sinned,  it  is  nnwillin.dy  ami  in  ,;o^^^^^^ 
.^ h  and  t^a-refore,  I  trust  tor  nn.vy  in  n.y  h.^^nly 
^^'  <l.*'.,  and  ,n  the  protection  of  the  Holy  \ir.nn      So 
1  have  hved-do  thou   likewise.     Follow  an  ^.xa'mple 
ANlneh  secures  to  me  sueh   a  sweet   death  an.id  stich 
scenes  of  horror.     Thou  shalt  find  in  my  written  will 
suc-h  preeept.  as  my  (.xperi(.nee  and  my  art'eetion  for 
thee  and  lor  n.y  suhjeets  have  <levised  for  thy  .niidance 
and    or  tluMr   b<..ellr.     And  now,  my  son,  farewell! 
llt.s  l.te,  as  thou  knowest,  is  a  mere  state  of  probation  • 
U'nee,  do  not  repine  at  our  short  separation.     Hl.ssed' 
bo  thou  here,  and  in  heaven,  where  I  hope  to  nu.'t  thee 
m  ...M  ;ustn,,M>liss.     So  help  me  ( W !     In  the  name 
ot  tlu.  leather,  an<l  ot  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Anien!       Jhus  Haying,  he    devoutly   crossed  '  hin.self 
ooked  upward,  and  exclaimed:  "  Introibo  in  (Umumi 
tuam,   adorabo   ad   ten.phnn   sanctum   tuum."     The.^ 
were  lus  la.t  wonls.     Dnrinn:  his  lite,  ho  was  en.phat- 
^^'Hlly  the  Chnstum   king:  shortly  after  his  death    he 
was  canonized  by  the  <diurch,  aiul  became  a  saint    ' 

In  spite  of  these  circumstances,  wnich  must  have 
been  hatefuUo  Voltaire's  turn  of  mind,  the  recollection 
c.  .uch  exidted  virtue  extorted  from  that  celebrated 


>^ 


BAY  OF  BILOXI. 


6b 


ii 


))1  sM  him, 
■II.     "My 
tim\  with 
our  holy 
'ur,  and  [ 
ive  iHiver 
r;  Hiid  in 
C'hriHtus 
itta'cst  to 
>iisich!i'ed 
i'».i<'<'t3  as 
Ji  kiii2^,  I 
iu  i,'<)od 
lit'iiveidy 
'/nu     So 
('.\Jimj)le 
lid  such 
ten  will, 
tion  for 
niidance 
iircwcll ! 
)I>ation ; 
Blessed 
L'et  tiiee 
e  name 
■  Ghost, 
liiiusclf, 
domuin 
"iliese 
ni{>liat- 
ith,  he 
t. 

t  liave 
leetion 
brated 


i 


writer  a  oulo.i^y  whicli  is  doubly  flatterini^  to  the  mem- 
ory of  him  to  whom  the  tribute  is   paid^  if  the  Hourc(! 
from  wliieh  it  came  lie  considered.     That  arch  scotter, 
that  systematic  disbeliever  in  so  much  of  what  is  held' 
sacred    by   nninkind,  said  of  St.  Louis,  "  That  prince 
would  hav(i  reformed  Europe,  if  n^fonnation  had  been 
possible  tit  that  tliiKi.     II(.  increased  tht;  ])(>wer.  pros- 
perity, and  civilization  of  France,  and  showed  himself  a 
type  of  human  ]).'rfection.     To  the  piety  of  an  anchor- 
ite, he  joined  all  tlu^  virtues  of  a  kin.!:,^  and  h(^  jiracticed 
a  wise  system  of  eco?iomy,  without  cea.sin.i,'  to  be  liberal. 
-Altliou,i,di  a  ])r()foun(l  politieian,  he  never  deviated  from 
V'hat  h(^  thouirht  sti-ictly  due  to  lii^dit  and  justice,  and 
he  is  perha])s  the  sole  soverei<rn   to  whom  such  com- 
inendaticm  can  b(>  applitul.     Prudent  and  iirm  in  the 
dehberations  of  the  cabinet,  distini^niished  for  cool  intre- 
pidity  in  battle,  as  humane  as  if  he  had  been  familiar 
with  notliin.jr  ,dse  but  misery,  he  carried  human  virtue 
as  tar  as  it  can  be  expected  to  ext(uid." 

Thus,  it  is  seen  that  the  Hay  of  St.  Louis  could  not 
borrow  a  nobler  name  than  that  under  which  it  is'  des- 
i.i^'nated.  The  ma.i^niificent  oaks  which  decorate  its 
shore,  did  perha])s  remind  Iberville  of  the  oak  of  Vin- 
cennes,  and  to  that  ciivumstance  may  the  bay  be  in- 
debted  for  its  aj)pellation. 

From  the  Hay  of  St.  Louis,  Iberville  returned  to  his 
fleet,  where,  after  consultation,  he  determined  to  make 
a  setth.nu'nt  at  the  Hay  of  Hiloxi.  On  the  east  si.le  at 
the  mouth  of  the  bay,  as  it  were,  there  is  a  sli<dit 
swell.n-  of  the  shore,  about  four  acres  square,  sloi,?nff 
gently  to  the  woods  in  the  background,  and  on  the 
right  and  h^i  o*'  which,  two  deep  ravines  run  into  the 
bay.  Thus,  this  position  was  fortified  by  nature,  ami 
the  French  skillfully  availed  thenis,>lves  of  these  ad- 
vantages.   The  weakest  point,  which  was  on  the  side 


ifp 


hm 


i    ' 

1 

h'\ 

1 

Kh 

1 

m 


I    m 


mm 


e4 


IBERVILLE'S  DEPARTURE  FOR  FRANCR 


of  the  forest,  tliey  strengthened  with  more  care  than 
the  rest,  by  connecting  with  a  strong  intrenchment  the 
two  ravines,  wliieh  ran  to  the  bay  in  a  parallel  line  to 
each  other.     The  fort  was  constructed  with  four  bas- 
tions, and  was  armed  with  twelve  pieces  of  artillery 
When  standing  on  one  of  the  bastions  which  faced  the 
bay,  the  spectator  enjoyed  a  beautiful  prospect.     On 
the  right,  the  ])ay  could  be  seen  running  into  the  land 
for  miles,  and  on  the  left  stood  Deer  Island,  concealing 
almost  entirely  the  broad  expanse  of  water  which  lay 

,Z      ,  ^\ '"'"'  ^^'^'^  ""''^y  ^^  *^'^  *^'«  e^^treme  points 
of  the  island,  which  both,  at  that  distance,  appeared  to 
be  within  a  close  proximity  of  the  main  land.     No  bet- 
ter description  can  be  given,  than  to  say  that  the  bay 
looked  like  a  funnel,  to  which  the  island  was  the  lid 
not  fitting  closely,  however,  but  leaving  apc^rtures  for 
egress  and  ingress.     The  snugness  of  the  locality  had 
tempted  the  French,  and  had  induced  them  to  choose 
It  as  the  most  favorable  spot,  at  the  time,  for  coloniza- 
tion,    feauvolle,  a  brother  of  Iberville,  was  put  in  com- 
mand  of  the  fort,  and  Bienville,  the  youngest  of  the 
tJree  brothers,  wa.s  appointed  his  lieutenant. 

A  few  huts  having  been  erected  round  the  fort  the 
settlers  began  to  clear  the  land,  in  order  to  bring  it 'into 
cultivation.     Iberville,  having  furnished  them  with  all 
the  necessary  provisions,  utensils,  and  other  supplies 
prepared  to   sail  for  France.     How  deeply   affecting 
must  have  been  the  parting  scene  !     How  many  casual- 
ties might  prevent  those  who  remained  in  this  unknown 
region  from  ever  seeing  again  those  who,  throu-h  the 
perils  of  such  a  long  voyage,  had  to  return  to  their 
home!     M/hat  crowding  emotions  must  have  filled  up 
the  breast  of  Sauvolle,  Bienville,  and  their  handful  of 
compamons,  when  they  beheld  the  sails  of  Iberville's 
fleet  fading  in  the  distance  Hke  transient  clouds !    WeU 


THE  COLAPISSAS. 


care  than 
iment  the 
lei  line  to 
four  bas- 
artillery. 
faced  the 
eet.     On 
the  land 
^ncealing 
■hich  lay 
lie  points 
)eared  to 
No  bet- 
the  bay 
i  the  lid, 
ures  for 
lity  had 
3  choose 
3oloniza- 
in  com- 
t  of  the 

xn-t,  the 
J  it  into 
with  all 
upplies, 
ffecting 

casual- 
ikuown 
gh  the 
3  their 
led  up 
Iful  of 
rville's 

Well 


65 


:vi 


may  it  be  supposed  that  it  seemed  to  them  as  if  their 
very  souls  had  been  curried  away,  and  that  they  felt  a 
momentary  sinking  of  the  heart,  when  they  found  them- 
selves  abandoned,  and  necessarily  loft  to  their  own  re- 
sources, scanty  as  they  were,  on  a  patch  of  land,  be- 
tween the  ocean  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other,  a  wilder- 
ness, which  fancy  peopled  with  every  sort  of  terrors 
The  sense  of  their  loneliness  fell  upon  them  like  the 
gloom  of  night,  darkening  their  hopes,  and  fillino- their 
hearts  with  dismal  apprehensions.  "^ 

But  as  the  country  had  been  ordered  to  be  explored 
feauvolle  availed  himself  of  that  circumstance  to  refresh 
the  mmds  of  his  men  ])y  the  excitement  of  an  exiiedi- 
tion  mto  the  interior  of  the  continent.     He  therefore 
hastened  to  dispatch  most  of  them  with  Bienville  who 
with  a  chief  of  the  Bayagoulas  for  his  guide,  went  to 
visit  the   Colapissas.      They  inhabited    the   northern 
shore  of  Lake  Pontchartrain,  and  their  domains  em- 
braced the  sites   now   occupied  by  Lewisburg,  Man- 
deville,  and  Fontainel>leau.    That  tribe  numl^ered  three 
hundred  warriors,  who,  in  their  distant  huntin-  excur- 
sions, had  been  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  with 
some  of  the  British  colonists  in  South  Carolina.     When 
the  French  landed,  they  were  informed  that,  two  days 
previous,  the  village  of  the  Colapissas  had  been  attack- 
ed by  a  party  of  two  hundred  Chickasaws,  headed  by 
two  Englishmen.     These  were  the  first  tidings  which 
the  French  had  of  their  old  rivals,  and  which  proved 
to  be  the  harbinger  of  the  incessant  struggle,  which  was 
to  continue  for  more  than  a  century  between  the  two 
races,  and  to  terminate  by  the  permanent  occupation  of 
Louisiana  by  the  Anglo-Saxon. 

Bienville  returned  to  the  fort  to  convey  this  impor- 


g  rested 


tant   information   to   Sauvolle.      After   havin.    ..«.eu 
there  for  several  days,  he  went  to  the  Bay  of  Pasca- 

E 


!  .' 


J;-  ^ '"' 


:..i;il  i' 


66 


THE  COLAPISSAg. 


goulas,  and  ascended  the  river  whicli  bears  that  name, 
and  the  banks  of  which  were  tenanted  by  a  ])ranch  of 
the  Biloxis,  and  by  the  Moelobites.     Encouraged  by 
the  friendly  reception  which  he  raet  everywhere,  he 
ventured  farther,  and  paid  a  vi«it  to  the  Mobilians, 
who  entertained  him  with  great  hospitality.     Bienville 
found  them  much  reduced  from  what  they  bad  been, 
and  listened  with  eagerness  to  the  many  tales  of  their 
former  power,  which  had  been  rapidly  declining  since 
the  crushing  blow  they  had  received  from  Soto. 
^  When   Iberville   ascended  the  Mississippi  the  first 
time,  he  had  remarked  Bayou  Tlaquemines  and  Bayou 
Chetimachas.     The  one  he  called  after  the  fruit  of 
certain  trees,  Avhich  appeared  to  have  exclusive  pos- 
session of  its  banks,  and  the  other  after  the  name  of  the 
Indians  who  dwelt  in  the  viciiiity.     lie  had  ordered 
theni  to  be  explored,  and  the  indefatigable  Bienville, 
on  his  return  from  Mobile,  ol)eyed  the  instructions  left 
to  his  brother,  and  made  an  accurate  survey  of  these 
two  Bayous.     When  he  was  coming  down  the  river,  at 
the  distance  of  about  eighteen  miles  below  the  site 
where  New  Orleans  now  stands,  he  met  an  Ei'glish  ves- 
sel of  16  guns,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Bar. 
The  Englisli  ca})tain  informed  the  French  that  he  was 
examining  the  banks  of  the  river,  with  the  intention  of 
selecting  a  spot  for  the  foundation  of  a  colony.     Bien- 
ville told  him   that  lx)uiaiana  was   a   dependency  of 
Canada;   that  the  French  had  already  made  several 
establishments  on  the  Mississij)pi ;  and 'he  a])peale(l,  in 
confirmation  of  his  asseitions,  to  their  own  ])resence  in 
the  river,  in  such  small  boats,  which  evidently  proved 
the  existence  of  some  settlement  close  at  hand.     The 
Ejiglishman  l>elieved  Bienville,  and  sailed  back.    Where 
this  occurrence  took  place  the  river  makes  a  consider- 
able bend,  and  it  was  fi-om  the  cirr.umstance  which  I 


ii  ! 


THE  ENGLISH  TURN-MISSIONARIES. 


67 


have  related  that  the  spot  received  the  appellation  of 
the  Englkh  Tuvn—o.  name  which  it  has  retained  to  the 
present  day.  It  was  not  far  from  that  place,  the  atmos- 
phere of  which  appears  to  be  fraught  with  some  malig- 
nant  spell  hostile  to  the  sons  of  Albion,  that  the  Eno-. 
lish,  who  were  outwitted  by  Bienville  in  1G99,  met 
with  a  signal  defeat  in  battle  from  the  Americans  in 
1815.  The  diplomacy  of  Bienville  and  the  military 
genius  of  Jackson  proved  to  them  equally  fatal,  when 
they  anned  at  the  possession  of  Louisiana. 

Since  the  exploring  expedition  of  La  Salle  down  the 
Mississippi,  Canadian  hunters,  ,vhose  habits  and  intre- 
pidity Feiiimore  Cooper  has  so  graphically  described 
in  the  character  of  Leather-Stocking,  used  to  extend 
their  roving  excursions  to  the  banks  of  that  river;  and 
those  holy  missionaries  of  the  church,  who,  as  the  pio- 
neers of  religion,  have  filled  the  New  World  with  their 
sufferings,  and  whose  incredil)le  deeds  in  the  service  of 
God  afibrd  so  many  materials  for  the  most  interesting 
of  books,  had  come  in  advance  of  the  pickaxe  of  the 
settler,  and  had  domiciliated  themselves   among   the 
tribes  who  lived  near  the  waters  of  the  ]\[ississi])pi 
One  of  them.  Father  Montigny,  was  residing  with  the 
Tensas,  within  the  territory  of  the  present  parish  of 
Tensas,  in  the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  another,  Father 
Davion,  was  the  pastor  of  the  Yazoos,  in  the  present 
State  of  Mississippi. 

Father  Montigny  was  a  descendant  from  Galon  de 
Montigny,  who  had  the  honor  of  bearing  the  banner  of 
France  at  the  battle  of  Bouviius.  It  is  well  known 
that  in  1214  a  league  of  most  of  the  European  princes 
the  most  powerful  of  whom  were  the  King  of  En<rland 
and  the  Emperor  of  (k-rmany,  was  formed  against 
Ihihp  Augustus.  The  allied  army,  composed  of  one 
hundred  thousand  men,  and  the  French  army  muster- 


ft"  '*■ 


m 


I ' 


68 


FATHER  MONTIGNY. 


iiliMil 


■  m-' 


mg  half  that  numher,  met  at  Boavines,  between  LiUe 
and  Tonrnay.  Before  the  battle,  Philip  reviewed  his 
tioops,  and  in  their  presence,  removing  M,  crown  from 

kni!b7  1'r  *°  *^r'^">W'^d  tost,  "Peers,  barons, 
kmghte,  soldiera,  and  all  ye  that  listen  to  me,  if  you 
know  one  more  worthy  of  the  crown  of  France  than  I 

declared  that  he  was  the  worthiest.  "  -Vye:]  then  " 
said  he,  "help  me  to  keep  it."  The  battle  soo^  bega;, 
and  raged  for  some  tm,e  with  alternate  success  for  the 
belhgerente.     1,  the  long  gilded  pole  which  supported 

over  the  plam,  the  eyes  of  the  French  kn  ghts  scattered 
over  the  wicle  f.eld  of  battle,  wore  freq'uenJlyfurn  d 
with  feverish  anxiety.  So  long  as  it  stood  erect,  and 
as  firmly  fl.«d  m  Montigny's  iron  grasp  a,  if  i  Lad 
taken  root  m  the  soil,  they  knew  that  the  king  w^ 
aafe,  ,t  being  the  duty  of  the  bearer  of  that  standfrd  to 
keep  close  to  the  royal  pemn,  and  never  to  lose  sight 

devolved  on  none  but  one  well  tried  among  the  bravest ; 
and  It  was  not  long  before  Montigny  had  to  plunge  into 
the  thickest  of  the  fight,  to  retain  his  post  l.car'Ph,"; 
Augustus,  who  felt  on  that  trying  occasion,  when  h^ 
crown  was  at  stake,  that  the  king  was  bound  to  prove 
hmself  the  best  knight  of  his  army. 

heart  m  the  l-rench  ranks.  The  long  stately  p„l„ 
wh,ch  bore  the  royal  banner,  was  observed  to  wave 
distressfuUy,  and  to  rock  like  the  mast  of  a  vessel 
tossed  on  a  tempestuous  sea.  That  fatal  signal  w,« 
weU  known-,t  meant  that  the  king  was  in  j.e.'il.  yim- 
ultancusly,  from  every  partof  the  field,  ev,.ry  French 
knight,  turning  from  the  foe  he  had  in  front,  dashed 
headlong  away,  and  with  resistless  fury  forced  a  jias- 


4 


FATHER  MONTIGNY. 


69 


sage  to  the  spot,  where  the  fate  of  France  was  held  in 
dubious  suspense.     One  minute  more  of  delay,  and  all 
would  have  been  lost.     The  king  had  been  unhorsed 
by  the  lance  of  a  German  knight,  trampled  under  the 
feet  of  the  chargers  of  the  combatants,  and  had,  with 
difficulty,   been  replaced  on  horseback.     Those'  that 
came  at  last  to  the  rescue,  found  him  surrounded  by 
the  corpses  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  gentlemen  of 
the  best  blood  of  France,  who  had  died  in  his  defence 
His  armor  was  shattered  to  pieces,  his  battle-axe,  from 
the  blows  which  it  had  given,  was  blunted  into  a  mere 
club,  and  his  arm  waxing  faint,  could  hardly  parry  the 
blows  which  rained  upon  his  head.     Montigny  stood 
alone  by  him,  and  was  defending,  with  a  valor  worthy 
of  the  occasion,  the  flag  and  the  king  of  France.     That 
occasion,  indeed,  was  one,  if  any,  to  nerve  the  arm  of  a 
man,  and  to  madden  such  a  one  as  Montigny  into  the 
execution  of  i)rodigies. 

To  be  the  royal  standard-bearer,  to  fight  side  by  side 
with  his  king,  to  have  saved  him  perhaps  from  captivity 
or  death ;  such  were  the  proud  destinies  of  the  noble 
knight,  Galon  de  Montigny.     His  descendant's  lot  in 
life  was  an  humbler  one  in  the  estimation  of  the  world 
but  perhaps  a  higher  one  in  that  of  heaven.     A  hood' 
not  a  crested  helmet,  covered  his  head,  and  he  was  sat- 
isfied with  being  a  soldier  in  the  militia  of  Christ.     But 
if,  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  duties  of  his  holy  faith 
he  courted  dangers  and  even  cox-eted  tortures  with  he- 
roic fortitude-if,  in  the  cause  of  God,  he  used  his  spir- 
itual weapons  against  vice,  error  and  superstition,  with 
a^  much  zeal  and  bravery  as  others  use  carnal  weapons 
m  earthly  causes-if,  instead  of  a  king's  life,  he  saved 
thousands  ot  souls  from  perdition—is  he  to  be  deemed 
recreant  to  his  gentle   blood,  and  is  he   not  to  be 


''i'l 


II 


I  nil 


4'\ 


70 


PATUER  DAVION. 


'  1[;r'' 


&i 


ir 


4  IP 


'h  It':    . 


esteemod  .^^  good  a  kniglit  .is  his  great  uuccstor  of  Ixis 
toiiciil  renown  ? 

Father  Duviou  had  resi^h.,!  for  some  time  with  the 
lun.cLs  wliereiie  had  made  hims(>lf  so  popular  th-.t 

on  the  death  of  their  chiei;  they  had  eleeh  J  him'toKU 
his  plaee.  I  he  prie.st  liumbly  deoline.l  the  honor,  .\v. 
"li^  orh,s  reasons,  that  his  new  chities  .us  their  eldef 
wonhl  be  me<>n.patil>hMvitl.  those  of  his  saered  minis. 
t}-     ^etthe      umeas,  who  k,ved  and  venerated  him 

T.  ;Vr-' r""; '■?  '•  ^'""^^"'  ^^^-^'  ^>^^^  ---1  to  adopt 
tl  0  (  hnslKtn  iailh,  and  tliey  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his 

..  .Icmousfutc.  tl,nt  tl,..ir  idol,  w..,v  to.,  powc-los,  "^ 
ami  i,  .,|<i.  to  ,„oe,.s  tlie  r.ulely  ,.,uv,.,l  |i,,,„v.  „i  id 

-■.V  >iu;  oi,i..,,.  of  tiu.  i,ec.uii,/,>,,o,.,,io„  ;;;■ ,,,:;;  Lt 

.  t    !..■,,  ™,.U.„t«l  .l,e,n»elvo.  «itl,  ,..vj,dli„.  I,i,„,  a„d 
....  0,1  ,.u  clK.  t,.r-,.it,„.y  .,f  tl,o  Vh„;„.s,  ,ho  ,„  ,vc,l 

.  ^l....t,  t„„...     Tl.is  „„,,„»,  tl,„t  tl,«y  ,ul.,jrto,l  s,„„„  „t' 

suc'l^'.,!!']' .',"'  f  '"■'','?'"""'*^^'  "'""""•  l>-io.>  l,,ul,  with 
r  1    ,       '7    '  """'"•■.".I,  «..,st,.„ct«l  m,.l  1,„„„ 

"I'  "  l"''l'"  I"  «!"■  f"iiU  ..f  ,«,  i„„u..„«.  o„l<    i„  t  " 

cl  ...    i„...      li,„.k  of  tl„it  l,v,.,  oTovvi,,!;  o„  ll,„  sli,,|„,  l.iil 

ti.0  ..o  „,»  t,.,„,u ,.,  „  i,i,,,  i,  „,„  ,„^„,,,  ,„  ,„„„„.;   '^ 

tr^   ,;',"■  "■"*■'■■'"""'■•■■  I' ».. ,i.,„. i,.-,,, 


I)' 


KATIIEU  DAVION. 


71 


wedged  to  the  frontispiece  of  t}i(.  temples  of  God,  on 
the  contitieiit  of  Kurope.     In  thiit  cliapel,  Father  Da- 
vion  kej)t  all  th(^  sacred  va,ses,  tlie  lioly  water,  and  tlie 
sacerdotal  habiliments.      There  he  tisckI   to  retire   t^j 
spend  hours  in  Tn(ulitation  and  in  praycT.     In  that  tal)- 
ernaele  was  a  small  portable  altar,  which,  when(wei-'ho 
said  mass  for  tin;  natives,  was  trans])()rtcd  outside,  un- 
der the  oak,  where  they  oft(>n  met  to  the  numl)(>r  of 
three  to  four  lunuh-ed.     What  a  beautiful  subject  for 
painting  !     The  majesty  «,f  tlu.  river— the  glowing  rich- 
ness of  the  land  in  its  virgin   Joveliness— the   Goti.io 
chapel— the  pulpit  which  looked  as  if  it  had  gn.wn  out 
of  the  holy  oak— the  hoaiy-headed  i)riest,  sjx'aking  with 
n  sinc(>nty  of  conviction,  an  impressiveness  of  numner 
and  a  I'adiancy  of  countenance  worthy  of  an  apostle— 
the  nu.th.y  crowd  of  the  Indians,  h'stening  attentively 
some  with  awe,  others   with    meek  submission,  a  few 
with  a  sneering  incr-edulity,  which,  as  the  evangelical 
man  went  on,  se,>med  gradually  to  vanish  i'vom  their 
strongly  markcMJ  features-in  the  backgrouml,  a  group 
of  their  jugg:ling  ].rophets,  or  .onjuivrs,  scowling  with 
fierceness  at  the  minister  of  fmth,  who  was  destroying 
their  i),)wer;— would  n..t  all  1  lies,- elements,  av here  the 
grandeur  of  the  scciumt  would   be  combined  with  the 
acting  of  man  an<l  the  development  of  his  feelin-rs  on 
an  occasion  of  th,.  most  solemn  nature,  ])roduce  hi 'the 
lian.ls  of  a  Salvator  Uos:,,  or  of  a   I>oussin,  the  most 
striking  efl'ects? 

Father  Davion  had  actpiiivd  a  perfect  knowl<>d<re  of 
the  (balect  of  his  neophyf(.s,  ami  spoke  it  with  as  much 
fluency  as  Ins  own  maternal  tongue.  He  had  both  the 
physical  and  mental  (]ualitications  of  an  orab.r:  he  wa.s 
tall  and  commanding  in  stature;  hishio-h  reced  in"- fore- 
head was  w<-ll  s(>t  oir  by  his  long,  fl,>wing,  gray'hairs. 
curling  down  to  his  shoulders;  his  face  was  "  ^i.-klic-d 


1,1 


m 


i. 


^  W,i!     I 


lit 


I  :"hlif^ 


»f! 


:l  ^Ih  -i| 


72 


FATHER  DAVION. 


over  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought ;»  vigils  and  fasting 
had  so  emaciated  his  form  that  he  seemed  almost  to  be 
dissolved  into  spirituality.     There  was  in  his  eyes  a  soft 
b.ue  limpid  transparency  of  look,  which  seemed  to  be 
a  reflection  from  the  celestial  vault ;  yet  that  eye,  so 
calm,  so  benignant,  could  be  lighted  up  with  all  the 
coruscations  of  pious  wrath  and  indignation,  when,  in 
the  pulpit,  he  vituperated  his  congregation  for  some  act 
of  cruelty  or  deceit,  and  threatened  them  with  eternal 
pumshment.     First,  he  would  remind  them,  with  apos- 
tolic unction,  with  a  voice  as   bland  as  the  evenino- 
breeze,  of  the  many  benefits  which  the  Great  Spirit  had 
showered  upon  them,  and  of  the  many  more  which  he 
had  in  store  for  the  red  men,  if  they  adhered  strictly  to 
hjs  law.     When  he  thus  spoke,  the   sunshine  of  his 
serene,  intellectual  countenance  would  steal  over  his 
hearers,  and  their  faces  would  express  the  wild  delio-ht 
which  they  felt.     But,  anon,  when  the  holy  father  recol- 
lected  the  many  and  daily  transgressions  of  his  unrulv 
chddren,  a  dark  hue  would,  by  degrees,  creep  over  the 
radiancy  of  his  foce,  a.s  if  a  storm  was  gathering,  and 
clouds  after  clouds  were  chasing  each  other  over  the 
mirror  of  his  soul.     Out  of  the  inmost  recesses  of  his 
heart,^  there  arose  a  whirlwiii.l  which  shook  the  holy 
man,  m  its  struggle  to  rush  out :  then  would  flash  the 
hghtning  of  the  eye  ;  then  the  voice,  so  soft,  so  insinu- 
ating and  even  so  caressing,  would  assume  tones  that 
sounded  like  repeated  peals  of  thunder;  and  a  perfect 
tempest  of  eloquence  would  he  ])our  forth  upon  his  di.- 
mayed  auditory,  who  crossed  themselves,  crouched  to 
the_  earth  and  howle.l  piteously,  demanding  par.lon  tor 
their  sins.     Ihen,  the  ghostly  orator,  relenting  at  the 
Bight  of  so  much  contrition,  would  descend  like  Moses 
from  his  Mount  Sinai,  laying  aside  the  angry  elements 
m  winch  he  had  robed  himself,  as  if  he  had  come  to 


i^iiii   I 


FATHER  DAVION. 


73 


eliglit 


L-„_iat 


preside  over  the  last  jiid^rrment ;  and  with  the  gentle- 
ness of  a  lamb,  he  would  walk  among  his  prostiate 
auditors,  raising  them  from  the  ground,  pressing  them 
to  his  bosom,  and  comforting  them  with  such  sweet 
accents  as  a  mother  uses  to  lull  her  first-born  to  sleep. 
It  was  a  spectacle  touching  in  the  extreme,  and  angeli- 
cally pure ! 

Father  Davion  lived  to  a  very  old  age,  still  cora- 
mandin-  the  awe  and  affection  of  his  flock,  by  whom 
he  was  h  -  .ked  upon  as  a  supernatural  being.     Had  they 
not,  the}  said,  frequently  seen  him  at  night,  with  his 
dark,  solemn  gown,  not  walking,  but  gliding  through 
the  woods,  like  something  spiritual  ?     How  could  one, 
so  weak  in  frame,  and  using  so  little  food,  stand  so 
many  fatigues  ?     How  was  it,  that  whenever  one  of 
them  fell  sick,  however  distant  it  might  be.  Father 
Davion  knew  it  instantly,  and  was  sure  to  be  there  be- 
fore sought  for  ?     Who  ha.l  given  him  the  information  ? 
Who  told  him  whenever  tlu^y  committed  any  secret 
sin?     None;   and  yet,  he  knew  it.     Did  any  of  his 
prophecies  ever  prove  false?     By  what  means  did  he 
arrive  at  so  much  knowledge  about  every  thino-?     Did 
they  not,  one  day,  wlien  he  kneeled,  as  usual,  iifsolitary 
prayer,  under  the  holy  oak,  see  from  the  respectful  dis- 
tance at  which  thoy  stood,  a  ray  of  the  sun  i)iercing  the 
thick  foliage  of  the  tree>,  cast  its  lambent  flame  around 
his  temples,  and  wreath  itself  into  a  crown  of  o-lory 
encircling  his  snow-white  hair  ?     What  was  it  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  mutt(M-ing  so   long,    when  counting-  the 
beads  of  that  mysterious  chain  that  hung  round  his 
neck  ?     Was  he  not  then  telling  the  Great 'S]>irit  every 
wrong  they  had  ,lone  ?     So,  thoy  l)oth  love.l  and  feared 
father  Davion.     On.,  day,  they  found  him  dead  at  the 
toot  ()t  the  altar:  he  was  h'aning  against  it,  with  his 
head  ca«t  back,  with  his  hands  clasped,  and  still  retain- 


! 


1        I'l 

!!■ 
i  ' 


l!  ;i 


74 


IBERVILLE'S  RETURN. 


■ng  lus  knod,„g  position.    Tlmro  „™  an  oxnrossion  of 

-lul.,,l,lonlv„nr„l,l,.,itl, «Ov,.«t„Kiv,.|,in,,.cl. 

m    .UK.,.;  ,    >vas  ,.,„|,.„t  tl.at  Ids  s„ul  l,a.l  ,..xlu, ,to 

<l<'iil>t,  >n  a  Iiyrnn  of  ivjoicin-  al.ove 

t..l,e  UM,I   „  ,.,uTy  tl„.n-d,il,l,,.n  to  tl„.  ,,la<.,.  „1„.,,,  l,e 

ov,,l  to  a,  ,n„nsu„.  tl,o  .,„.,. nt  of  I„,  ,ti,.n,.     Tl,,.  , 

hoso  „„,.|,1,.  e,,,,tn,,..s,  ,vitl,  n,an,y  ,...,..,n;oni,.s  of  a  wil.i 

:;;.'■'■•,  I"';:'-"'"''  '■';  *',':■"■  •"•»■  *^i'-<-" '-.:.  .> ./ 

.  ....l   l,nK..n„jj  l...l.nn  «„,„.,s.ition»,  i„vol<,..l  an.l 

t  ,.;''""  *  '•'    "-'.i'^^*"-^  '"■  >"'"l.<-.-   l>nvion  upon 
tl.e„s,.lv,.  a,„|  tl„,,.  ,;,nuli,s.     For  n.any  yoa«  that 

n  ,.„,.nt  t.nus,  Von  A,lan,s  was  c„n.sfu.to,l  whic 

?;'n;;;i:,,:'''°'''''''^"'''''"''''^''- ■""''•■■■ -ii.>'.-ont 

Su.|,  „nv  tl,o  two  visitors  who,  i„   I ,;.«),  app.,nv,l 
l..'fo,v  ,S,„vo  I.,,  at  tho  fort  of   (iih,,i,  ,.,  ,.,;.„  ,    ' 

nion,.ton.v  of  hia  chw.i'le.s.s  ,.xi»t,.n,r  ■ml  ,„  , 

IiImi  ;>.  Im       I     •  ■  vAisuiuc,  .ind  to  crn'onraije 

;"V"'""f  "•-:•"•"■■!"■!*■     'I'l.-'ii-  vLsit,  howove,- 

>lung..  th..  .Iut,...s  of  th,.ir  sa..,-,,l  n.ission. 

Il.erv,ll,.  h,ul  h,...n  gone  Co,-  srv..,,,!  .Months,  ,n„l  the 
yo.n.-  was  ,l,,nvn,g  to  a  Hose  „  ithont  any  ti.iinJs  of  h    , 
A  ,l«.por  gloo,,,    ,.,.,  s,.t,h.,|  ov,.,.  ,1,0  li,tl,.:,.lonv  at 
..lox,  wh,.n,  on  tho  rthof  l),H...,nl,..,,  son,,. sio,,,.l  ,:„,3 

T,.  ,,,,.,,, t ..,,,:,,,.,,,.,  ,,,t,.f,,|  ,,,,,,,,,  .^,,,;„,,;;^^^^^ 

..^'  "V..,-  th..  wat,.,..s,  .sp,va,li„g  joy  in    ,„„,      ,,,„,„ 
ilu.,v  w„s„oto„„  who  was  not  „|n,ost  opp,vss,.,|  w, 

h,.    ,„t,.,,s,ty   of   l,is    f,...li„..       At    h,st,',.i„„,|s;    t 

Every  colonist  hastily  abanclond  his  occnpati,.,,  of  the 


TONTI. 


75 


moment,  and  ran  to  the  shore.  The  soldier  lilmself,  in 
the  eagerness  of  expectation,  left  his  post  of  duty,  and 
ruahtid  to  the  parapet  which  overlooked  the  bay.  Pres- 
ently,  several  vessels  hove  in  sight,  bearing  the  white 
flag  of  France,  and,  approaching  as  near  jw  the  shallow- 
ness  of  the  beach  i)ermitte(l,  folded  their  ])inions,  like 
water-fowls  seeking  repose  on  the  crest  of  the  Inllows. 

It  Avas  Iberville,  returning  with  the  news  that,  on  his 
rq)resentations,  Sau voile  had  been  ap])ointed  by  the 
king,   Govei-nor    of    Louisiana;    Bienville   Lieutenant- 
(lovernor,  and  Boisl>riant   commander  of  the  fort  at 
Biloxi,  with  th(^  grade  of  Major.     Iberville,  having  been 
informed  by  BienviUe  of  the  attenijjt  of  the  English  to 
make  a  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississij)pi,  and 
of  the  manner  in  which  it  had  been  foiled,  resolvJd  to 
take  })recautionary  measures  against  the  repetition  of 
any  similar  attem])t.     Without  loss  of  time,  he  depart- 
ed with  Bienville,  on  the  17th  of  January,  1700,  and 
running  up  the  I'iver,  he  constructed  a  small  fort,  on  the 
first  solid  ground  which  \w  met,  and  which  is  said  to 
have  b(!eu    at  a  distance  of  fifty-four  miles  from  its 
mouth. 

Wluui  so  engaged,  the  two  brothers  one  day  saw  a 
canoe  rapidly  sweeping  down  the  river,  and  approach- 
ing the  spot  where   they  stood.     It  wa.s  occupied  by 
eight  men,  six  of  A\'honi  ^v  ere  rowers,  the  seventh  wiis 
the  steersman,  and  the  eighth,  from  his  a])pearance,  was 
evidently  of  a  su])erior  order  to  that  of  his  companions, 
and  the  commander  of  tlu>  pai-ty.     Well  may  it  be  in> 
agmed  what  greeting  the  stranger  received,  when,  leap- 
ingon  shoi'e,  he  made  himself  known  as  +he  Vhe'valier 
de  Tonti,  who  had  again  heard  of  the  establisliment  of 
a  colony  in  Louisiana,  and  who,  for   the  se<.-ond  time, 
had  come  to  see   if  there  was  any  truth  in  the  report. 
VV  ith  what  emotion  did  Iberville  and  Bienville  fold  in 


(I 


f  iij 


I  \^' 


/I  II 


I.  il 


t^ 


1)1        f.|.! 
I 


»l  'I .''  % 


96 


NATCHEZ. 


their  arms  the  faithfi.I  companion  anii  friend  of  U 

t«!~  1,..:,,  tlic  Indians,  to  whom  ho  was  so  well  known 
nmler  the  name  of  "Iron  Hand  !"  With  what,  adn.ira- 
tlon  they  looked  at  his  ,„.r9on,  an,l  with  what  inc,v,«. 
ng  mu„.estth..y  hstene,!  to  his  Ion..  ,.  .itals  of  what 

threshold  of  1,  !„ch  they  had  ha.-dly  pa^svd ' 

After  havins  rested  three  days  at  the  fort,  the  inde- 
fa  gal.lo  T,,nt,  reasconded  the  Mississippi,  vWth  Iber- 
v,lk  and  Hjenvlle,  and  finally  parted 'i-ik  them  at 
Natchez  I  .ervdle  was  so  nn.ch  pleased  with  that 
part  f  the  l,a„k  of  the  river,  where  now  ex-ists  the  city 
of  Natchez,  that  he  marked  it  down  as  a  n.ost  eli-iWe 
r    V^^T^'I-  "^  ^^'"^  '■"  ''■■•"^  the  plan,  and  ndnch 

ess  Po'm         "•  T'  ""'  ""''''™  "™<"  "f  t"-^^  Count- 
ess  I  ontchar  ram,  the  wif..  of  the  Chancellor.    He  then 

returned  to  the  new  fort  he  wa,  erecting  on  the  Ms! 

ZTl  ^r!r""r"'*  '"  ^^■i-'™'  *ho  country  of 

^e  Yatasses,  of  the  Natchitoches,  an.l  of  the  Ouachitas. 

What  romance  can  be  more  a.greeaWe  to  the  i.nagina. 
^on  than  to  accompany  Iberville  an.l  BicnviHe  in  Their 
wild  explorations,  and  to  compare  the  state  of  the  conn- 
try  in  their  time  with  what  it  is  in  onr  days? 

When  the  French  were  at  Natchez,  they  were  struck 
with  horror  at  an  occurrence,  too  clearly  demonstrating 
the  fierceness  of  disposition  of  that  tribe,  which  w,-« 
destined,  in  after  yea,.,  to  become  so  celebrated  in  the 
history  of  I.  .uisiana  One  of  their  temples  having  1  „.en 
set  on  fire  by  hgh, :,i„„  »  h,,,,,,,,,,  ^       _.,^,,        = 

Itself  to  the  Europeans.  The  tumnltnous  rulh  .,f  ,he 
India„s_the  infernal  howlings  and  lamentations  of  tV 
men  women  and  children-the  unearthly  vociferations 
of  the  prieste,  their  fantastic  dances  and  ceremonies 
around  the  burning  edifiee-the  demoniac  fury  with 


H.f 


! 


NATCflEX 


77 


which  mothers  rushed  to  the  fatal  spot,  and,  with  the 
piercing  cries  and  gesticulations  of  maniacs,  flung  their 
new-born  babes  into  t  le  flames  to  pacify  their  irritau  ' 
deity— the  increasing  anger  of  the  heavens  blackening 
with  the  impending  storm,  the  lurid  flashes  of  the  light- 
nings, darting  as  it  were  in  mutual  enmity  from  the 
clashing  .louds— the  low,  distant     rowling  of  the  com- 
ing tempest— the  long  column  of  smoke  and  fire  shoot- 
ing upward  from  the  funeral  ])yre,  and  looking  like  one 
of  the  gigantic  torches  of  Pandemonium— the  war  of 
the  elements  combined  with  t]     worst  elfects  of  the  fren- 
zied superstition  of  man— the  suddenneh    and  strange- 
ness of  the  awful  scene— all  these  circumstances  pro- 
duced such  an  impression  upon  i\e  Fri  nch,  as  to  de- 
prive them,  for  the  moment,  ■  f  the  powers  of  volition 
and  action.     Rooted  to  tht       ound,  they  stood  aghast 
with  astonishment  and  indignation   at  the   a])])alling 
scene.    Wiis  it  a  dream  ?— a  wild  delirium  of  the  mind  ? 
But  no— the  monstrous  reality  of  the  vision  was  but  too 
apparent;  and  they  threw  themselves  among  the  Indi- 
ans, suppiicatiui,  them  to  cease  their  horrible  sacrifice 
to  their  gods,  and  joining  threats  to  their  supplications. 
Owing  to  this  intervention,  and  perhaps  because  a  suf- 
ficiei't  number  of  victims  had  !  een  offered,  the  priests 
gave  the  signal  of  retreat,  and  ^  le  Indians  slowly  with- 
drew from  the  accursed  s])oi      Such   was  the  aspect 
under  which  tln^  Nat.  hez  showed  themselvi  s,  for  the 
first  time,  to  their  visitors:  it  was  an  omuu.us  presage 
or  the  future. 

Aft*  these  exploiations,  Iljerville  depart  d  again  for 
France,  to  solicit  additional  assistance  from  the  ^n  rn- 
ment,  and  left  Bienville  in  command  of  the  new  fori  on 
the  Mississippi.  It  was  very  hard  lor  the  two  brothers 
Sauvu.Ie  and  Bienville,  to  be  thus  separated,  when  they 
stood  80  much  in  need  of  each  other's  countenance,  to 


11' 


I:    !'f 


O'l' 


1    I 


I! 


78 


DI.STHESa  OF  TIIR  COLONISTS. 


I>mist,  the.  (l.fhc.nltios  tl.ut  spru,,!.  up  annuu]  tl.om  with 

a  luxuna.u'c  vvhic-l,  they  .cvnm\  to  borrow  fVon,  the 

vo^^rtat.o,,  of  th.  c.<,„„try.     Th.  <listarw..  h.Uv,,n  the 

M.ss,ss,pi„  Hn<l    Hiloxi   w.as  not  so  ,..sily  ovcMvor...  in 

tlios<.  days  ius  m  o,„-s,  m.,|   the  nw^ins  which  th(,  two 

brothers  hml  of  ooinnMnm.-  to^a-thrr  wimv  vcm-v  scanty 

an<I  nna>rta.n.     Sanvolh.  and  In's  con.panions  'hu<l  snf- 

M  much  from  the  severity  of  the  winter,  which  had 

hvvn  so  ^v.at  that  in  one  of  his  .b'spat^-hes  he  inforn.ecl 

MS  M<.v<"rnn.(>nt  that  "  ym/..,  ,r/.'n  po,m.i /,fo  tnnMer, 

to  nn..tIu',njroz,  in.fantaneoudif,  and  before  if  could 

oe  'ii6'e<f. 

At  hust,  the  sprin.o:  nu-uh-  its  appearancv,  or  rather 
the  season   w  neh   bears  that  (hM.on.inati.M.,  but  which 
clul  not  n,tro,bu.e  its<>lf  with  the  ^^^enial  au.l  n.ihl  atmos- 
phere that  IS  its  eharaeteristie  in  other   dimes      The 
mor.th  of  April  was  so  hot  that  the  oohu.ists  eould  work 
on  y  two  hours  ,n  the  niornin-  and  two  in  th<.  evening.- 
)V  hen  there  was  no  bree/e,  the  refhvtion  of  the  sun 
from  t.heseaan<|  from  the  sa,.dy  beaoli  was  intolerable- 
and  It  they  sou.^d.t  relief  ,„.Ier  the  pine  trees  of  the 
forest,  mstea<i  of  meetin,!,.  eool  shades,  itseeme.l  t,>  them 
hat    here  eanu.  from  the  very  hn.^.s  of  the  trees  a  hot 
Hvath,  winch  sent  then,  back  hastily  to  the  burning 
ho.e    m  cp,es,  of  a.r.     Many  of  the  colonists,  accu^- 
ton.edt.)    he  clnnateof  Cana.la  an.l  France,  languished 
r"H-d,  tell  su-k,  .nd  died.     Snne,  as  they  lay  pantin^ 

-der  tl.  few  oaks  tlu.t  grew  near  the  irt^lC^^^ 
of  the  vej-dant  valleys,  the  refreshing  strean^,  th         - 
turesqne  lulls,  ami  the  snow-capped  mountains  of  their 
a  n-e  land      The  fond  scenes  upon  which  their  iu,a..i- 
ia^on_  dwelt  w,th  rapture,  would  occasionally  nssunul 
to  their  enfeebled  vision,  the  <Hstinctness  of  real  exist: 
;;";'!'  ^^J^Y"^"^  recoHection  would  produce  onthe 
lionzou  of  the  mind,  such  an  apparition  ^  tantali. 


SAUVOLLE,  FIRST  GOVERNOR 


79 


the  (lyiurr  travcl(!r  in  tlio  pardiod  deserts  of  Arabia. 
Wluiii  despair  had  paved  tlie  way,  it  was  easy  for  dis- 
ease to  f(»Il<)w,  and  to  ci-ush  those  that  were  ah'eady 
l.rostrate  in  mind  and  in  body.  To  increase  tlie  niiseiy 
of  thos(^  po(.r  wretclies,  famine  lierself  raised  her  spec- 
tral foi-m  amons,^  tlutm,  .'uid  gjusjx-d  ])eHtih!nce  by  the 
Iiand  to  assist  her  in  tjic!  woi-k  of  desohition.  Thus, 
that  ficndisli  sistei-hood  ivigned  su[)i-em(!,  where,  in  our 
(hiys,  health,  abundance,  and  wealth,  si^cnred  hy  the 
improvements  of  civilization,  bless  the  land  with  per- 
petual smiles. 

Sauvolle,  from  the  feel,lcness  of  his  constitution,  was 
more  (>xp()se<l  than  any  of  his  companions  to  be  aftected 
by  the  i,(Tils  of  the  situation;  and  yet  it  was  he  upon 
whom  (l(.volve,l  tlKMluty  of  watchin-  over  the  safety 
(>t  others.     Hnt  he  was  sadly  incapacitated    for    the 
(bschar-e  of  that  duty  by  physical  and  moral  causes. 
W  hen  an  mfant,  he  had  inherited  a  large  fortune  from 
an  aunt,  whose  godson  he  was.     With  such  means  at 
his  future  conunan.l,  the  boy,  who  gave  early  evidence 
of  a  superior  mtellec-t,  became  the  darling  hope  of  his 
family,  and  uas  sent  to  France  to  be  (p.aliticd  for  the 
splendid  career  which  parental  fon.lness  antici])ated  for 
him.     The  seeds  of  education  were  not,  in  that  instance, 
thi'own  on  a  rebellious  soil ;  and  when  Sauvolle  left  the 
seat  of  learning  where  he  had  been  trained,  he  carried 
away  with  him  the  admiration  of  his  professors  and  of 
lis  schoolmates.     In  the  high  circles  of  society  where 
his  l)n-th  and  fortune  entitled  him  to  appear,  he  i)ro- 
duced  no  less  sensation;  and  well  he  im-ght,  for  he  ap- 
l^eared,  to  an  eminent  degree,  capable  of  adorning  any 
station  which  he  might  wish  to  occupy.     Nature  had 
been  pleased  to  produce  another  Crichton,and  vSauvolle 
soon  became  known  as  the  Amerwan.  prndirpi,     Racine 
called  him  a  poet ;  Bossuet  had  declared'  that   there 


jLfl 
'if 


.1  fi 


80 


SAUVOLLE'S  BRILLIANT  PROSPECTS 


;( i. 


I  '11 


were  in  him  all  tlic  materiak  of  a  great  orator ;  and 
the  haughty  Villars,  after  a  coiivorsation  of  several 
hours  with  him,  was  hoard  to  say,  "Here  is  a  Marshal 
of  1^  ranee  in  embryo." 

^  The  lrivt)lous  admired  Iiis  wonderful  expertness  in 
fencing,  in  horsemanship,  and  his  other  acquirements 
of  a  similar  nature ;  artists  might  have  been  proud  of 
his  talent  for  jjaiutiug  and  for  music ;  and  those  friends 
that  were  admitted  into  his  intimacy,  wei-e  struck  with 
his  modesty  and  with  the  high-toned  morality  which 
l)t>rvaded  the  life  of  one  so  young.     The  softer  sex, 
yielding  to  the  i'ascinution   of  his  manly  graces,  was 
held  captive  by  them,  and  hailed  his  first  steps  on  the 
world's  stage  with  all  the  passionate  enthusiasm  of  the 
female  heart.     But  he  loved  and  was  loved  by  the  fair- 
est  daugiiter  of  one  of  the  noblest  houses  of  Fi-ance, 
and  his  nuptials  were  soon  to  be  celebrated  with  fitting 
pomp.     Was  not  this  the  acme  of  liuman  felicity  i     If 
so,  whence  that  paleness  which  sat  on  his  brow,  and 
spoke  of  inwai-d  pain,  moi-al  or  physical  2     Whence 
those  sudden  starts?     VV^iy  wa.s  he  observed  occasion- 
ally to  grasj)  his  heart  with  a  convulsive  hand  i     What 
api)alling  disclosure  could  make  him  desert  her  to  whom 
his  faith  was  plighted,  and  could  so  abruptly  hurry  him 
away  frcm  France  and  from  that  seat  whe're  so  much 
happiness  was  treasured  u])  for  liini  ?     That  it  was  no 
voliintary  act  on  his  part,  and  that  he  was  merely  com- 
plying with  tlu>  stern  decree  of  late,  could  be  plainly 
inferred  from  that  look  of  (lesj)air  which,  from  the  ship 
that  bore  Jiim  away,  he  cast  at  the  shores  of  France 
when  receding  from  his  sight.     So  must  Adam  have 
looked,  when  he  saw  the  flaming  swt)rd  of  the  angel  of 
punishment  interjxised  between  him  and  Paradise. 

Sau voile  ai-rived    in    Canachi  at    the    very  nion^ent 
when  Iberville  and  Bienville  were  preparing  their  ex- 


I  ■! 


i  Mil!' 


SAUVOLLE'S  MISFORTUNES. 


81 


pedltion  to  Louisiana,  and  he  eagerly  Legged  to  join 
them,  saying  that  ]i(^  knew  his  days  were  numbered, 
that  he  had  come  back  to  die  in  America,  and  that  since 
his  liiglieras])irati()ns  were  all  blasted,  he  could  yet  find 
some  sort  of  melancholy  pleasure  in  closing  liis  career 
in  that  new  colony,  of  which  his  Ijrothers  were  to  be 
the  fouiiders,  and  to  wliich  they  were  to  attacli  their 
names  forever. 

Poor  8auv()lle!  the  star  of  Ids  destiny  which  rose  up 
at  the  court  of  Louis  the  XlVth  with  such  gorgeousness, 
was  now  setting  in  gloom  and  desolation'on  the  bleak 
shore  of  IJiloxi.     How  acute  must  his  mental  ao-ony 
have  been,  when,  by  day  an<l  l)y  night,  the  comparison 
of  what  he  might  have  been  with  ^diat  he   was,  must 
have  mcessantly  forced  itself  upon  his  mind;     Why 
had  Nature  qualified  him  to  be  the  best  of  husbands 
and  fathers,  when  forbi.lding  him,  at  the  same  time,  to 
assume  the  sacred  character  which  he  co^-eted,  and  to 
form  those  ties,  without  whieh,  existence  could  only  be 
a  curse  to  one  so  ex(pd.itely  framed  to  nourish  the 
choieest  allections  of  our  race  ?     Why  c^jvc  him  all  the 
e  enients  of  greatness,  and  preclude  their  development? 
Wiiy  msp.r<;  him  with  the  consciousness  of  worth  and 
deny  Inm  time  a.ul  life  for  its  nianirestation  ?     Why 
had  such  a  mind  and  such  a  soul  been  lodged  in  a  de- 
fective body,  soon  to  ho.  dissolved  ?     Why  a  l^lade  of 
such  workmanship   in    such    an    unworthy  scabbard  ? 
VVIiy  create  a  being  with  feelings  as  intense  jus  ever  ani- 
mated one  of  his  species,  merely  to  bruise  them  in  the 
bud^      Why  shower   upon  him   gifts  of  such  value 
when  they  were  to  be  instantly  resumed  ?     AVhy  licrht 
up  the  luminary  syhich  w.u.  to  be  extinguished  before 
Its  rays^could  be  dUfused  ?     W.us  it  not  a  solemn  mock- 
ery?     What  object  could  it  answer,  except  to  inflict 
extreme  misery?     Surely,  it  could  only  bo  u  concep- 


I      ,1   \m 


ifl 

.-t» 

'!! 

I'- 


ll >, 


i '  ■ 


^. -i  n 


82 


SAUVOLLE'S  DEATH. 


tion  or  device  of  the  arch-enemy  of  mankind !  But 
how  could  he  be  allowed  thus  to  trifle  Avith  (xod's  crea- 
tures "  Were  they  his  puppets  and  playthings  ?  oi-,  waa 
it  one  of  God's  inscrutable  designs  ?  Was  it  an  enigma 
only  to  be  solved  hereafter? — These  were  the  reflec- 
tions which  were  coursing  each  other  in  Sauvolle'3 
mind,  as  he,  with  folded  arms,  one  day,  stood  on  the 
para])et  of  the  fort  at  Biloxi,  looking  sorrowfully  at  the 
scene  of  desolation  around  him,  at  his  diseased  and 
famished  companions.  Overwhelmed  Avith  grief,  he 
withdrew  his  gaze  from  the  harrowing  sight,  heaved  a 
deep  sigh  and  uplifted  his  eyes  toward  heaven,  with  a 
look  which  plainly  asked,  if  his  placid  resignation  and 
accpiiescent  fortitude  had  not  entitled  him  at  last  to  re- 
l>om.  That  look  of  anguish  was  answered :  a  slight  con- 
vulsion flitted  over  his  face,  his  hand  grasped  the  left 
eide  of  his  breast,  his  l)ody  tottered,  and  Sauvolle  was 
dead  before  he  reached  the  ground. 

Such  w;is  the  fate  of  the  first  governor  of  Louisiana. 
A  hai'd  fate  indeed  is  that  of  (U'fective  organi/iition ! 
An  anticipated  damnation  it  is,  for  the  unbeliever,  when 
spiritual  perft^ction  is  palsied  and  rendered  inert  by 
being  cl()gg(Hl  with  physical  imi)erfection,  or  wedded  to 
^diseased  matter !  When  gc'uius  av;i.s  flashing  in  the 
head,  when  the  spirit  of  God  lived  in  the  soul,  why  did 
creation  defeat  its  own  apparent  ])ur])oses,  in  this  case, 
by  ]'l:uiting  in  the  heart  the;  seeds  of  aneurism?  It  is 
a  ([uestion  which  staggers  j)liilosophy,  confoimds  Iniman 
reason,  and  is  solved  only  by  tiie  revelations  of  Chris- 
tianitv. 

What  a  pity  that  Sauvolle  had  not  the  Faith  of  a 
Davion,  or  of  a  St.  Louis,  whose  deaths  I  have  re- 
corded in  the  ])receding  pages !  Tie  would  have  known 
that  the  heavier  the  cross  we  bear  with  Christian  resig- 
nation in  this  world,  the  greater  the  reward  is  in  the 


1 
1 
( 
t 
c 
s 
c 

t 
I 

r 

a 


REFLECTIONS. 


83 


better  one  which  awaits  us :  and  that  our  trials  in  this 
our  initiatory  state  of  terrestrial  existence,  are  merely 
intended  hj  the  infinite  goodness  of  the  Creator,  as 
golden  o]ip<jrtunities  for  us  to  show  our  fidelity,  and  to 
deserve  a  higher  or  lesser  degree  of  happiness,  when  we 
shall  enter  into  the  celestial  kingdom  of  spiritual  and 
eternal  life,  secured  to  us  at  the  price  of  sufferinqs 
alone :   and  what  suffei'ings !     Those  of  the  Godhead 
himself!     He  would  not  then  have  repined  at  pursuinc^ 
the  thorny  path,  trod  l)efore,  for  his  sake,  by  the  divine 
Victim,  and  with  Job,  he  would  have  said :  "  Who  is 
he  that  hideth  counsel  without  knowledge  ?     Therefore 
have  I  uttered  that  I  understood  not ;  things  too  won- 
derful for  me,  which  I  knew  not.     The  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord  !" 

I  lately  stood  where  the  first  establishment  of  the 
French  was  made,  and  I  saw  no  vestiges  of  their  pas- 
sage, save  in  the  middle  of  the  space  formerly  occupied 
by  the  fort,  where  I  discovered  a  laying  of  bricks  on  a 
level  witli  the  ground,  and  covering  the  common  area 
of  a  tomb.     Is  i.  the  repository  of  Sauvolle's  remains  ? 
I  had  with  me  no  pickaxf;  to  solve  the  question,  and  in- 
deed, it  was  more  agreeable  to  the  mood  in  which  I 
was  then,  to  indulge  in  si)eculations,  than  to  ascertain 
the  truth.     Since  the  fort  had  been  abandoned,  it  was 
e\adent  that  there  never  had  been  any  attempt  to  turn 
the  ground  to  some   useful  puipose,  althougli,  beino- 
cleared  of  ti-e(>a,  it  must  have  been  more  eligible  for  a 
settlement  than  the  adjoining  ground  whicirremained 
covered  with  wood.     \v\,  en  the  right  and  left,  beyond 
the  two  ravines  already  nu'iitioned,  habitations  are  to 
be  seen  ;  but  a  sort  of  ti'aditionary  awe  seems  to  have 
repelled  intrusion  from  the  spot  marked  by  such  inel- 
anch<.ly  recollections.     On  the  right,  as  you  approach 


1, 


il      I 


84 


REFLECTIONS. 


the  place,  a  beautiful  villa,  occupied  by  an  Anglo- 
American  family,  is  replete  with  all  the  comforts  and 
resources  of  modern  civilization  ;  while  on  the  left,  there 
may  be  seen  a  rude  hut,  where  still  reside  descendants 
from  the  first  settlers,  living  in  ])rimitive  ignorance  and 
irreclaimable  poverty,  which  lose,  however,  their  offen- 
sive features,  by  being  mixed  up  with  so  much  of  pati-i- 
archal  virtues,  of  pristine  innocence,  and  of  arcadian 
felicity.  These  two  families,  separated  only  by  the  site 
of  the  old  fort,  but  between  whose  social  position,  tliere 
existed  such  an  immense  distance,  struck  me  as  being 
fit  representatives  of  the  past  and  of  the  present.  One 
wa.s  the  type  of  the  French  colony,  and  the  other,  the 
emblem  of  its  modern  transformation. 

I  gazed  with  indescribable  feelings  on  the  spot  where 
Sauvolle  and  his  companions  had  suflx3red  so  much. 
Humble  and  abandoned  as  it  is,  it  was  clothed  in  my 
eye  with  a  sacred  chai'acter,  Avhen  I  remembered  that 
it  was  the  cradle  of  so  many  sovereign  states,  which  are 
but  disjecta  memhra  of  tiie  old  colony  of  Louisiana. 
What  a  contrast  between  the  French  colony  of  IVOO, 
and  its  imperial  substitute  of  1848!  Is  there  in  the 
mythological  records  of  antiquity,  or  in  the  ftiiry  tales 
of  the  Arabian  Nights,  any  thing  that  will  not  sink  into 
insignificance,  when  compared  with  the  romance  of  such 
a  history  ? 


I     '^ 


i'  n 


tm 


M 


THIRD  LECTURE. 

Situation  of  the  Colony  from  1701  to  1'(12— Thk  Petticoat  Insurrection— 
History  anu  Death  of  Iberville  — Bibnvili.e,  the  second  Governor  ok 
Louisiana— History  of  Anthony  Crozat.tiie  great  Merchant— Concession  of 
Louisiana  to  him. 

Satjvolle  had  died  on  the  22d  of  July,  1701,  and 
Louisiana  had  remained  under  the  sole  charge  of  Bien- 
ville, who,  though  very  young,  was  fully  equal  to  meet 
that  emergency,  by  the  maturity  of  his  mind  and  by  his 
other  qualifications.  He  had  hardly  consigned  his 
brother  to  the  tomb,  Avhen  Iberville  returned  with  two 
ships  of  the  line  and  a  brig,  laden  with  troops  and  pro- 
visions. The  first  object  that  greeted  his  sight,  on  his 
landing,  was  Bienville,  whose  person  was  in  deep 
m'nirning,  and  whose  face  wore  such  an  expression  -m 
plainly  told  that  a  blow,  fatal  to  both,  had  been  struck 
in  the  al^sence  of  the  head  of  the  family.  In  their  mute 
embraces,  the  two  brothers  felt  that  they  understood 
each  other  l)(^tter  than  if  their  grief  had  vented  itself  in 
words,  and  Iberville's  first  impulse  was  to  seek  Sau- 
volle's  tomb.  There  he  knelt  for  hours,  bathed  in 
tears,  and  absorb.  1  in  fervent  prayer  for  him  whom  he 
was  to  see  no  more  in  the  gar))  of  mortality.  This  re- 
cent  ])low  reminded  him  of  a  father's  death,  Avhom  he 
had  sr(  n  carried  back,  l^leeding,  from  the  battle-field ; 
and  fclKii  his  four  brothei-s,  who  had  met  the  same  stern 
and  honorable  fate,  rose  to  his  sighb  with  their  ghastly 
wounds ;  and  he  bethought  himself  of  the  sweet  and 
melancholy  i^ce  of  his  mother,  who  had  sunk  gradually 


ji   -I 


ill 


I  ill 


86 


IBERVILLE'S  GRIEF. 


into  ihe  grave,  drooping  like  a  gentle  flower  under  the 
rough  visitations  of  the  wind  of  adversity.     On  these 
heavy  recollections  of  the  past,  his  heart  swelled  with 
tears,  and  he  implored  heaven  to  spare  his  devoted 
family,  or,  if  anyone  of  its  iaem])ers  was  again  destined 
to  an  early  death,  to  take  7dm,  Iberville,  as  a  free  offer- 
mg,  m  ])reference  to  the  objects  of  his  love.     But  there 
are  men,  upon  whom  grief  operates  as  fire  upon  steel: 
It  purifies  the  metal,  and  gives  more  elasticity  to  its 
sprmg;  it  works  upon  the  soul  with  that  same  mysteri- 
ous process  by  which  nature  transforms  the  dark  car- 
buncle  into  the  shining  diamond.     These  men   know 
how  to  turn  from  the  desolatioii  of  tlieir  heart,  and  sur- 
vey the  world  with  a  clearer,  serener  eye,  to  choose  the 
sphere  where  they  can  best  accomplish  their  mission 
on  this  earth— that  mission— the  fulfilment  of  duties 
whence  good  is  to  result  to  mankind,  or  to  their  coun- 
try.     One  of  these  highly  gifted  beings  Iberville  was, 
and  he  soon  withdrew  his  attention  from  the  grave,  to 
give  it  entirely  to  the  consolidation  of  the  great  national 
enterprise  he  had  undertaken— the  establishment  of  a 
colony  in  Louisiana. 

According  to  Iberville's  orders,  and  in  conforuiity 
with  the  king's  instructions,  Bienville  left  Boisl)riant, 
his  cousin,  with  twenty  men,  at  the  old  fort  of  Biloxi' 
and  traiisjx.rted  the  i)rincipal  seat  of  the  colony  to  the 
western  side  of  the  river  Mobile,  not  far  from  the  spot 
where  now  stands  the  city  of  Mobi],>.     Near  the  mouth 
of  that  river,  there  is  an  island,  which  the  French  had 
called  Massacre  Island,  fi-om  the  great  (inantity  of  hu- 
man bones  which  they  found  l>Ic'iching  on  its  shores. 
It  was  evident  that  t/wj-e  some  awful  tragedy  had  been 
acted ;  but  tradition,  when  interi-ogated,  laid  Iter  clwpiyy 
finger  upon  her  Mnmj  lips,  and  'answered  not.     Tins 
uncertainty,  giving  a  free  scope  to   the  imagination 


* 


i% 


DAUrHINE  ISLAND. 


87 


* 


shrouded  tlie  place  with  a  higher  degree  of  horror,  and 
with  a  deeper  hue  of  fantastical  gloom.  It  looked  like 
the  favorite  ball-room  of  the  witches  of  hell.  The  wind 
sighed  so  mournfully  through  the  shriveled  up  pines, 
whose  vampire  heads  seemed  incessantly  to  bow  to 
some  invisible  and  grisly  visitors :  the  footsteps  of  the 
stranger  emitted  such  an  awful  and  supernatural  sound, 
when  trampling  on  the  skulls  which  strewed  his  path, 
that  it  was  impossible  for  the  coldest  imagination  not 
to  labor  under  some  crude  and  ill-defined  aj^prehen- 
sions.  Verily,  the  weird  sisters  could  not  have  chosen 
a  fitter  abode.  Nevertheless,  the  French,  supported  by 
their  mercurial  temperament,  were  not  deterred  from 
forming  an  establishment  on  that  sepulchral  island, 
which,  they  thought,  afforded,  some  facilities  for  their 
transatlantic  communications.  They  changed  its  name, 
however,  and  called  it  Dauphine  Island.  As,  to  many, 
this  name  may  be  without  signification,  it  may  not  be 
improper  to  state,  that  the  wife  of  the  eldest  born  of 
the  King  of  France,  and  consequently,  of  the  presump- 
tive heir  to  the  crown,  was,  at  that  time,  called  the 
Dauphine,  and  her  husl)an(l  the  Dauphin.  Tiiis  was 
in  compliment  to  the  })iovince  of  Dauphine,  which  was 
annexed  to  the  kingdom  of  France,  on  the  abdication 
of  a  Count  of  Dau[»hine,  who  ceded  that  principality 
to  the  French  m(niarch  in  l.'UO.  Hence  the  orimn  of 
the  appellation  giv<'n  to  the  island.  It  was  a  high- 
sounding  and  courtly  name  for  such  a  bleak  repository 
of  the  dead ! 

Iberville  did  not  tarry  long  in  Louisiana.  His  home 
Was  the  broad  ocean,  where  lie  had  been  nursed,  as  it 
were ;  and  he  might  have  exclaimed  with  truth,  in  the 
words  of  Byron  :— 

—  "  I  Iiavo  loved  thco,  Ocean !  and  my  joy 
Of  youthful  fporttt  was  on  thy  brcuat  to  bo 


h'T; 


'i ;.  I 


.   '  ft 


.•it 


fpi 


DO 

*^  ""'■>fVIf.I.KLKAVRSTIIKr,).,()NY. 

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«M.,(.,mvl,v,.h,l.yl..,.,,K,...     ll„.v(,.,„o 
^\.M-:,  ,l,.|u;I..,  .".,|,f(|„.  f,v.,|„.m,uv„.,,,^ 

."""'"""•"•■"'•"■""■     ■•«-^.'a,,I.MMn,MWir 
**'"■  '  «■'••"••'<(  w.'io  ...  .InMoKl,,,,. 
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Ati.l  iMhl  „,v  1,,„„|  „|,„„  „,^.  ,,,^j^^_,.. 

!';^':' ,;;'■•• '''^  •'••I'"''''''' !'■•  .'■-•'•-"•■' "hoi,.,.,,,,,  „,i. 

.   ,  ,s  ,,„v,.,„„„.,„ :  ..  „  i ,,.,  „ 

'",•:""'■■";•  "■■'  n,,„„s,„„i  |„  „,,,  „,„,  ,„„„,,„ 

L,v, ;:,:;''::,'':,':'■•; '•■:.' " ^ '•"-'■ ■ 

„,..,..     ,       ,      '  ,    '  '  "'  l""-'l"'riiv  1..  ..,  ,.„1. 

vV,,.     ;  ;'"•■"■•""■ 1' II..' ,i,i,.r  ,„,,. 

;:;;'•■■'"' V"''''''''' "'•'•■'>'■" 'i"'w  ■■'".!« 

m,,l,l,l,,,s,.,>,,,,^,.  ,,,,,,,.,.,.,,,  ^^1^. 

i.™     ,.    I,,.   ,.I,.,,vli.|„„|„i,|,„i.  „„„,,„'     „.,„„, 
x-  •"-,.„„„.„,,„,,    ,„    l„.l,„,  ,,|,|„i,.„:,i    s„.,„..,|, 

Ihvi,  ,l,v,-,v,l„ll„.,ni.,.,  ' 

I"  l"'«.";'"-i..MlM„l.,.„„„(l,.,,n, v.,  (;,.,,,!  H,.i(,i„ 
iM-.'uu'o  .•nit    Si>-i Ml  •  .11,111         11  !•    .  "Mi.im, 

Wp<I.M..  :,„..,<„.,„„  „,„,„|,„  l,,|i,|,,.,  ,,„,,,„,   I       . 

™••'^'-"-'<■|^•.K■,.^.l.,  ,,,,,is..,,  A,,,n,s,i,,,.  h..; ,'; 
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'••■v.u.,h|,o,>„,u,Wl,,sl,o>v„l,l,i„„u.„ ,„„.„' 


THK  COLONY  RKLIKVKD  HY  PKNHACOLA. 


89 


li: 


mid  Hnppli('H  of  nil  soi-ts.     I(  was  the,  moro  niontorioua, 
as  it  w.-iH  l,li(^  oholns  of  tlici  j)()()r! 

Tilt'  yc.-ii-  17(t.'{  slowly  rolled    hy,  nnd   irnvo  \v;iv  to 
iTOt.     Still,  notliiii-;- u;is  liciird  fVoui  the  puroiit  coun- 
try.    Tlici't'  scciiK'd   to   l)c  Mil    imp.'issahlc    hiirrlop   he- 
twccii  (lie  old  and  the  ihmv  coiitiiiciii.    The  milk  \vhi(;h 
Honed   iVoiM  tli(!  iiK.dicrly  hrcast  of  Vr.wu-o  could   no 
lon,i,^('r  ivach  tli(^  i>an-li(Ml   li|)s  of  her  iKiu-lx.ni   infant; 
Jind  famine  lie--an  to  |)iiich  the,  colonists,  who  scattei'(;d 
tlieiiise!v(«s  all  aloiin-  ili,.  ,.,,;,st,  lo  live  l.y  lishini,^     They 
were   re.iiuvd  lo  the   veriesi   exiremity  of  misery,  Miid 
<K'spair  had  selHed   in  every  Ix.so.n,  In    pile  of  the  ,.i,. 
conrai^c-nients    of    Ilic'iiville",    who    displayed    tlu>    most 
manly    forfitude  amid  all   fhe  trial-  to  which   he  wjia 
sul.jecled,  wh(-n  sud(h-nly  a  vessel  made  its  apix'arance. 
The  cohMiists  nish,.d   to  the  shore  with   wild  aiixit^ty, 
luit   their  (vxiilialion   was  -reatly  diminislu-d   when,  on 
the  iK'arer  api)roach   of  the   moving-  speck,  thev  reco<r- 
iii/.ed  (he  Spanish,  instead  of  I'. e   h'reiich   lla^-.  "   \t  w?m 
relief,  however,   comiiii,-  to   ihem,   and   pi'olfered   hy  a 
iViendly  hand,      it  was  a  return  made  l.y  the  -•overiior 
of  r.'iisacola,  \'ov  the   hindness  he  had  experienced  the 
ye;irj.revious.     Thus,  the  del.t  oi'  gratitude  was   paid: 
It  was  a  practical  lesson.     AA'hcre  the  se(>ds  of  charity 
are  cast,  ///,/•,■  sprini^s  th(>  harvest  in  time  of  need. 

(iood  things,  lik(>  .'vils,  do  not  come  sino-le,  and  this 
succor  was  hut  the  herald  o\'  ;ino(lu>r  one,  still  more 
oHeclual,  in  th,>  shape  of  a  s]iip  from  France.  IlH'i'viJlo 
had  not  heen  ahle  to  redeem  his  pledo-e  to  the  poor 
colonists,  hut  he  had  sent  his  i, rot  her  Chateauo-uo  in  his 
plac(>,  at  the  imminent  lisk  of  heino-  cai^tured  hy  the 
Knolish,  who  oci'upicd,  at  that  time,  most  of  the  ave- 
nues o\-  Hie  tiulf  o\-  Mexico.  //,■  was  not  the  man  to 
spare  either  himself,  or  his  laniily,  in  cases  of  emerireiuy, 
and  liis  lieroic  soul  was  iiuirod  to  such  sacrilices.    Cirut'e^ 


'it 


I'  ^tiil 


.  j! 


90 


ARRIVAL  OF  CIIATEAUOUE. 


fulthe  colomsis  ^v^ere  for  this  act  of  devotedness,  and 
they  resumed  tlie  occupation  of  those  tenements  4ich 
they  had  abandoned  in  search  of  food.     Tlie  aspect  of 
thm,o:s  was  suddenly  changed  ;  abundanc-e  and  hope  re- 
q.l.eared  m  the  land,  whose  population  wa.  increased  ' 
b}  th._  arrival  of  seventeen  persons,  who  came,  under 
the  guidance  of  Chateaugue,   with   the  intention   of 
making  a  permanent  settlement,  and  who,  in  evidence 
of  the.r  det(.r.ninati(,n,  had  provided  themselves  Avith 
all  the  implements  of  husbandry.     We,  who  daily  see 
hundreds  flocking  to  our  shores,  and  who  look  at  the 
occurrence  w,th  as  much  unconcern  as  at  the  passinc. 
cloud,  can  hardly  conceive  the  excitement  produced  by 
the  arrival  of  these  seventeen  emigrants  among  men 
wiio,  for  nearly  two  years,  had  been  cut  off  from  com- 
mumcation  with  the   rest  of  the  civilized  world     A 
denizen  of  the  moon,  dropping  on  this  planet,  would  not 
be  stared  at  and  interrogated  with  more  eager  curi- 
osity.  *=  * 

This  excitement  had  hardly  subsided,  when  It  was 
revived  by  the  appearance  of  another  ship,  and  It  be- 
came  intense  when  flu  inhabitants  saw  a  procession  of 
twenty    en^ales,  with  veiled  faces,  proceeding  arm  in 
arm,  and^  Uvo  by  two,  to  th.  house  of  the  governor, 
who  received  them  in  state,  and  i>rovided  them  with 
mutable  lodgings.     What  did  it  mean  i     Innumerablo 
were  the  gossipings  of  the  day,  and  part  ol"  the  coming 
night  Itself  was  spent  in  endless  commentaries  and  oou- 
jectures     But  the  next  morning,  which  was  Sunday, 
the  mystery  was  cleared  by  the  officiating  priest  i-ead- 
ing  from  the  pulpit,  after  mass,  and  for  tl'ie  general  in- 
torniation,  the  following  communication  from^the  minis- 
ter  to  Bienville:  -His  majesty  sends  twenty  <nrls  to  bo 
parried  to  the  Canadians  and  to  the  other  inhabitants 
oi  Mobile,  in  order  to  consolidate  the  colony.    AU  theae 


ARRIVAL  OF  "WIVES  FOR  THE  COLONISTS. 


91 


glrh  are  in'lustrious,  and  have  received  a  pions  and  ir- 
tuous  education.  Beneficial  results  to  the  colony  le 
expect  frr-  leir  teaching  their  useful  attainu  'nits 
to  the  uti,  lemales.  In  order  that  none  should  he 
sent  except  tliose  of  known  virtue  and  of  unspotted 
reputation,  his  majesty  did  intrust  the  ])ishop  of  Que- 
bec ^  ith  the  mission  of  taking  these  girls  from  such  es- 
tablishments,  as,  from  their  very  nature  and  character, 
would  put  them  at  once  above  all  suspicions  of  cor- 
ruption. You  will  take  care  to  settle  them  in  life  as 
well  as  mnv  be  in  your  power,  and  to  marry  them  to 
such  mcM  are  capable  of  providing  them  Avith  a  com- 
modious home." 

This  was  a  very  cf-siderate  recomiaendation,  and 
very  kind  it  was,  indeed,  from  the  gicat  Louis  the 
XlVth,  one  of  the  proudest  monai'chs  that  ever  lived, 
to  descend  from  his  Olympian  seat  of  majesty,  to  the 
level  of  such  details,  and  to  such  minute  instructions 
for  ministering  to  the  personal  comforts  of  his  remote 
Louisianian  subjects.  Many  were  the  gibes  and  high 
was  the  glee  on  that  occasion ;  pointed  were  the  jokes 
aimed  at  young  Bienville,  on  his  being  thus  transfoi-med 
into^  a  matrimonial  agent  and  jiater  familije.  Tlie  in- 
tentions of  the  king,  however,  were  faithfully  executed, 
and  more  than  one  rough  but  honest  Canadian  boat- 
man of  the  St,  Lawrence  and  of  the  Mississippi,  closed 
his  adventurous  and  erratic  career,  and  became  a  do- 
mestic and  useful  iiKiiuber  of  that  little  commonwealth 
under  tlie  watchful  influence  of  the  dark-eved  maid  of 
the  Loire  or  of  the  Seine.  Infinite  are  tlie  chords  of 
the  lyre  which  delights  the  romantic  muse ;  and  theso 
incidents,  small  and  Jiumble  us  they  are,  appear  to  im 
to  be  im>)ued  with  an  indescribable  charm,  which  ap. 
peals  to  lier  imagination, 
Ibei  vDle  Lad  gone  back  to  France  eiaco  ItOl,  and 


" 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBS'iER,N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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c<^. 


t/l 


a» 


ARRIVAL  OF  DUCOUDRAY  WITH  SUPPLIES. 


the  year  1705  had  now  begun  its  onward  course,  with- 
out his  having  returned  to  the  colony,  according  to  his 
promise,  so  that  the  inhabitants  had  become  impatient 
of  further  delay.     They  were  in  that  state  of  suspense, 
when  a  ship  of  the  line,  commanded  by  Ducoudray,  ar- 
rived soon  after  the  opening  of  the  year,  but  still  to 
disappoint  the  anxious  expectations  of  the  colonists. 
No  Iberville  had  come :  yet  there  was  some  consolation 
in  the  relief  which  was  sent— goods,  provisions,  ammu- 
nition ;    flesh-pots  of  France,  rivaling,  to  a  certainty, 
those  of  Egypt;    sparkling  wines  to  cheer  the  cup; 
twenty-three  girls  to  gladden  the  heart ;  five  priests  to 
minister  to  the  wants  of  the  soul  and  to  bless  holy  al- 
liances ;  two  sisters  of  charity  to  attend  on  the  sick  and 
preside  over  the  hospital  of  the  colony,  and  seventy-five 
soldiers  for  protection  against  the  inroads  of  the  In- 
dians.    This  was  something  to  he  thankful  for,  and  to 
occupy  the  minds  of  the  colonists  for  a  length  of  time. 
But  life  is  choquered  with  many  a  hue,  and  the  antag- 
onistical  agents  of  good  and  evil  closely  tread,  in  alter- 
nate succession,  on  the  heels  of  each  other.     Thus,  the 
short-lived  rejoicings  of  the  colonists  soon  gave  way  to 
grief  and  lamentations.     A  hungry  epidemic  did  not 
disdain  to  prey  upon  the  population,  small  as  it  waa, 
and   thirty-five   persons  became   its    victims.     Thirty- 
five  !     This   number  was  enormous  in  those  days,  and 
the  epidemic  of  IT 05  became  as  celebrated  in  the  med- 
ical annals  of  the  country,  as  will  be  the  late  one  of 
1847. 

The  history  of  Louisiana,  in  her  early  days,  presents 
a  Shaksperian  mixture  of  the  terrible  and  of  the  ludi- 
crous. What  can  be  more  harrowing  tlian  the  mas- 
sacre of  the  French  settlement  on  the  Wabash  in  1705  ; 
and  in  170G,  what  more  comical  than  the  threatened 
insurrection  of  the  French  girls,  who  had  come  to  set- 


THE  PETTICOAT  INSURRECTION. 


tie  in  the  country,  under  allr.rements  which  proved  de- 
ceptive, and  who  were  particularly  indignant  at  being 
fed  on  corn  ?  This  fact  is  mentioned  in  these  terras  in 
one  of  Bienville's  dispatches :  "  The  males  in  the  colony 
begin,  through  habit,  to  be  reconciled  to  corn,  as  an 
article  of  nourishment ;  but  the  females,  who  are  most- 
ly Parisians,  have  for  this  kind  of  food  a  dogged  aver- 
sion, which  has  not  yet  been  subdued.  Hence,  they 
inveigh  bitterly  against  his  grace,  the  Bishop  of  Que- 
bec, who,  they  say,  has  enticed  them  away  from  home, 
under  the  pretext  of  sending  them  to  enjoy  the  milk 
and  honey  of  the  land  of  promise."  Enraged  at  having 
thus  been  deceived,  they  swore  that  they  would  force 
their  way  cut  of  the  colony,  on  the  first  opportunity. 
This  Wfis  called  the  petticoat  insurrection. 

There  v/ei-e,  at  that  particular  time,  three  important 
personages,  who  were  the  hinges  upon  which  every 
thing  turned  in  the  commonwealth  of  Louisiana.  These 
magnates  were,  Bienville,  the  governor,  who  wielded 
the  sword,  and  who  was  the  great  executive  mover  of 
all ;  La  Salle,  the  intendant  commissary  of  the  crown, 
who  had  the  command  of  the  purse,  and  who  therefore 
might  1)0  called  the  controlling  power ;  and  the  Curate 
de  la  Vente,  who  was  not  satisfied  with  mere  spiritual 
influence.  Unfortunately,  in  this  Lilliputian  adminis- 
tration, the  powers  of  the  state  and  church  were  sadly 
at  variance,  in  imitation  of  their  betters  in  larger  com- 
munities. The  commissary.  La  Salle,  in  a  letter  of  the 
7th  of  December,  1700,  accused  Iberville,  Bienville,  g,nd 
Chateaugud,  the  three  brothers,  of  being  guilty  of  every 
sort  of  malfeasances  and  dilapidations^  "They  are 
rogues,"  said  he,  "  who  pilfer  away  bis  Majesty's  goods 
and  eft'ects."  The  Curate  de  la  Vente,  whose  pre- 
tensions to  temporal  power  Bienville  had  checked, 
backed  La  Salle,  and  undertook  to  discredit  the  gov- 


I! 


I!  liU' 


'    )| 


r  ' 


i  iiii  I 


i    I 


(|!<l 


94 


DISSENSIONS  IN  THE  COLONY. 


ernor's  authority  with  the  colonists,  by  boasting  of  his 
having  sufficient  influence  at  court  to  cause  him  to  be 
soon  dismissed  from  office. 

On  Bienville's  side  stood,  of  course,  Chateaugud,  his 
brother,  and  Major  Boisbriant,  his  cousin.     But  Cha- 
teaugue  was  a  new  man  (novus  homo)  in  the  colony, 
and    c^nsetiuently  had,  aa   yet,   acquired   very  little 
weight.     BoislH'iant,   although   a  zealous   friend,  had 
found  means  to  increase  the  governor's  vexations  by 
falling  deeply  in  love.     He  had  been  smitten,  perhaps, 
for  the  want  of  something  better,  with  the  charms  of  a 
lady,  to  whose  charge  had  been  committed  the  twenty 
girls  selected  by  the  Bishop  of  Quebec,  and  who  had 
been  appointed,  as  a  sort  of  lay  abbess,  to  superintend 
their  conduct  on  the  way  and  in  Louisiana,  until  they 
got  provided  with  those  suitable   monitors,  who  are 
called  husbands.     That  lady  had  reciprocated  the  aflfec- 
tions  of  Boisbriant,  and  so  for,  the  course  of  love  ran 
smooth.     But,  as  usual,  it  was  doomed  to  meet  with 
one  of  those  obstacles  which  have  given  rise  to  so  many 
beautiful  literary  compositions.     Bienville  stoutly  ob- 
jected to  the  match,  as  being  an  unfit  one  for  his  rela- 
tion and  subordinate,  and  peremptorily  refused  his  ap- 
probation.    Well  may  the  indignation  of  the  lady  be 
conceived !      Boisbriant    seems   to   have  meekly  sub- 
mitted to  the  superior  wisdom  of  his  chief,  but  she, 
scorning  such   forbearance,  addressed  herself  to  the 
minister,  and  complained,   in    no  measured  terms,  of 
what  she  called  an  act  of  oppression.     After  having 
painted  her  case  with  as  strong  colors  as  she  could,  she 
very  naturally  concluded  her  observations  with  this 
sweeping  declaration  concerning  Bienville :  "  It  is  there- 
fore evident  that  he  has  not  the  necessary  qualifications 
to  be  governor  of  this  colony."    Such  is  the  logic  of 


DISSENSIONS  IN  THE  COLONY. 


95 


Love,  and  although  it  may  provoke  a  smile,  thereby 
hangs  a  tale  not  destitute  of  romance. 

These  intestine  dissensions  were  not  the  only  difficul- 
ties that  Bienville  had  to  cope  with.     The  very  exist- 
ence of  the  colony  was  daily  threatened  by  the  Indians ; 
a  furious  war,  in  which  the  French  were  frequently  im- 
plicated, raged  between  the  Chickasaws  and  the  Choc- 
taws  ;  and  the  smaller  nations,  principally  the  Aliba- 
mons,  that  prowled  about  the  settlements  of  the  colo- 
nists,  committed   numerous   thefts  and   murders.      It 
seemed  that  all  the  elements  of  disorder  were  at  work 
to  destroy  the   social  organization   which   civilization 
had  begun,  and  that  the  wild  chaos  of  barbarian  sway 
claimed  his  own  again.     Uneasy  lay  the  head  of  Bien- 
ville in  his  midnight  sleep,  for  fearfully  alive  was  he  to 
the  responsibility  Avhich  rested  on  his  shoulders.     In 
that  disturbed  state  of  his  mind,  with  what  anxiety  did 
he  not  interrogate  the  horizon,  and  strain  to  peep  into 
the  vacancy  of  space,  in  the  fond  hope  that  some  signs 
of  his  brother's  return  wouM  greet  his  eyes  !     But,  alaa ! 
the  year  1707  had  run  one  half  of  its  career,  and  yet 
Iberville  came  not.     To  what  remote  parts  of  heaven 
had  the  eagle  flown,  not  to  hear  and  not  to  mind  the 
shrieks  of  the  inmates  of  his  royal  nest  ?     Not  oblivious 
the  eagle  had  been,  but  engaged  in  carrying   Jove's 
thunderbolts,  he  had  steadily  pursued  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  task. 

Dropping  the  metaphorical  style,  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  state,  that  during  the  five  years  he  had  been  absent 
from  Louisiana,  Iberville  had  been,  Avith  his  usual  suc- 
cess,, nobly  occupied  in  supporting  the  honor  of  his 
country's  flag,  and  in  increasing  the  reputation  which 
he  had  already  gained,  as  one  of  the  brightest  gems  of 
the  French  navy.  If  the  duration  of  a  man's  existence 
is  to  be  measiu-ed  by  the  merit  of  his  deeds,  then  Iber- 


I'll 

i '  Pi 

m 

1     ! 

i' 


'U 


i'.r 


al'M 


k 


96 


EARLY  LIFE  OF  IBERVILLE. 


ville  had  lived  long,  before  reaching  the  meridian  of 
life  and  he  was  old  in  fume,  if  not  in  years,  when  he 
undertt)ok  to  establish  a  colony  in  Louisiana.     From 
his  early  youth,  all  his  days  had  been  well  spent,  be- 
cause dedicated  to  some  useful  or  generous  purpose. 
Ihe  soft  down  of  adolescence  had  hardly  sliaded  his 
hice,  when  he  had  become  the  idol  of  his  ^countrymen 
Ihe  foaming  brine  of  the  ocean,  the  dashing  wati^rs  of 
the  rivers,  the  hills  and  valleys  of  his  native  country 
and  of  the  neighboring  British  possessions,  had  wit- 
nessed  his  numerous  exploits.     Such  were  the   confi- 
dence  and  love  ^^  ith  whicli  he  had  inspired  the  Cana- 
dians and  Aeadians  for  his  person,  by  the  irresistible 
seduction  of  his  manners,  by  the  nobleness  of  his  de- 
portment, l)y  the  dauntless  energy  of  his  soul,  and  by 
the  many  qualifications  of  his  head  and  heart,  that  they 
would,  said  Father  Charlevoix,  have  followed  him  to 
the  confines  of  the  universe.     It  would  be  too  long  to 
recite   his   wonderful   achievements,   and   the   injuries 
which  he  inflicted  upon  the  fleets  of  England,  particu- 
larly in  the  Bay  of  Hudson,  either  by  open  force,  or 
by  stealth  and  surprise.     When  vessels  were  icebound, 
they  were  more  than  once  stormed  by  Ihevvllh  and 
his  intrepid  associates.     Two  of  his  brothers,  Stt>.  Ile- 
16ne  and  Mericourt,  both  destined  to  an  early  death, 
used  to  be  his  willing  companions  in  these  adventurous 
expeditions.     At  other  times,  wheu  the  war  of  the  ele- 
ments seemed  to  preclude  any  other  contest,  Iberville 
m  a  light  buoyant  craft,  which  sported  merrily  on  the' 
migry  waves,  would  scour  far  and  wide  the  Bay  of 
Hudson,  and  the  adjacent  sea,  to  prey  upon  the  com- 
merce ot  the  great  rival  of  France,  and  many  were  the 
prizes  which  he  brought  into  port.     These  were  the 
sports  of  his  youth. 

The  exploits  of  IberviHe  on  land  and  at  sea,  acquired 


EXPLOITS  OF  IBERVILLE. 


for  him  a  sort  of  amphibious  celebrity.     Amont^  othe 


doings^  of  great  daring,  may  be  mentioned 

>rovince  of 


of  Corh 


Orange 


th( 


the  taking 


near 
In  November, 
son,  the  fort  of  Port   Nelson,  defended  by  forty-two 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  he  gave  it  the  name  of  Fort 
Boui-l)on.     In  109G  he  added  to  his  other  conquests, 
the  J^ort  of  Pemkuit,  in  Acadia.     When  Chubb,  the 
English  commander,  was  summoned  to  surrender   he 
returned  this  proud  answer :  "  If  the  sea  were  white 
with  French  sails,  and  the  land  dark  with  Indians  I 
would  ftot  give  up  the  fort,  unless  when  reduced  to  the 
very  last  extremities."     In  spite  of  this  vaunf,  he  yym 
soon  obliged  to  capitulate.     The  same  year,  Iberville 
possessed  himself  of  the  Fort  of  St.  John,  in  Newfound- 
land, and  in  a  short  time  forced  the  rest  of  that  prov- 
mce  to  yield  to  his  arms.     The  French,  however  did 
not  retain  it  long.     But  his  having  revived  La  Salle's 
project  of  establisliing  a  colony  in  Louisiana,  constitutes 
on  account  of  the  magnitude  of  its  results,  his  best  claim 
to  the  notice  of  posterity.     We  have  seen  how  he  exe- 
cuted that  important  undertaking. 

_  After  a  long  absence  from  tliat  province,  the  colo- 
nization of  which  was  his  ftivorite  achievement  he  was 
now  preparing  to  return  to  its  shores,  and  arrived  at 
San  Domingo,  having  under  his  command  a  consider- 
able fleet,  with  which  he  meditated  to  attack  Charles- 
ton, m  South  Carolina;  from  whence  he  cherished  the 
hope  of  sailing  for  Louisiana,  with  all  the  pomp  pride 
and  circumstance  of  glorious  victory.     He  had  stopped 
at  San  Domingo,  because  he  had  been  authorized  to 
reinforce  himself  with  a  thousand  men,  whom  he  was 
to  take  out  of  the  garrison  of  that  island.     The  ships 
had  been  revictualed,  the  troops  were  embarked  and 
Iberville  was  ready  to  put  to  sea,  when  a  great  feast 

G 


;  A- 


IJilU 


98 


IBERVILLE  IN  SAN  DOMINOO. 


was  tendered  to  Lim  and  to  his  officers,  hy  the  friends 
from  whom  he  was  soon  to  part.  Loud  the  sound  of 
revelry  was  still  heard  in  hall  and  bower,  when  Iber- 
ville, whose  thoughts  dwelt  on  the  responsibilities  of 
the  expedition  which  had  been  intrusted  to  his  care, 
withdrev/  from  the  assembly,  where  he  had  been  the 
observed  of  all,  leaving  and  even  encouraging  his  sub- 
ordinates to  enjoy  the  rest  of  that  fairy  night,  which  he 
knew  was  soon  to  be  succeeded  for  them  by  the  perils 
and  hardships  of  war.  He  was  approaching  that  part 
of  the  shore  where  his  boat  lay,  waiting  to  carry  him  to 
his  ship,  when,  as  he  trod  along,  in  musing  loffeliness, 
his  attention  was  attracted  by  the  beauties  of  the  troi> 
ical  sky,  which  gleamed  over  his  head.  From  that 
spangled  canopy,  so  lovely  that  it  seemed  worthy  of 
Eden,  there  appeared  to  descend  an  ambrosial  atmos- 
phere, which  glided  through  the  inmost  recesses  of  the 
body,  gladdening  the  whole  frame  with  voluptuous 
sensations. 


"  All  was  80  still,  80  soft,  in  earth  and  air, 
You  scarce  would  start  to  meet  a  spirit  there  ; 
Secure  that  naught  of  evil  could  delight 
To  walk  in  such  a  scene,  on  such  a  night !" 

Iberville's  pace  slackened  as  he  admired,  and  at  last  he 
fitopped,  rooted  to  the  ground,  as  it  were,  by  a  sort  of 
magnetic  influence,  exercised  upon  him  by  the  fascina- 
tions of  the  scene.  Folding  his  arras,  and  wrapt  up  in 
ecstasy,  he  gazed  long  and  steadily  at  the  stars  which 
studded  the  celestial  vault. 

O  stars !  who  has  not  experienced  your  mystical  and 
mysterious  power !  Who  has  ever  gazed  at  ye,  without 
feeling  undefinable  sensations,  something  of  awe,  and  a 
vague  consciousness  that  ye  are  connected  with  the  fate 
of  mortals !    Ye  silent  orbs,  that  move  with  noiseless 


¥ 


IBERVILLE  IN  SAN  DOMINGO. 


99 


splendor  through  the  infiniteness  of  space,  how  is  it  that 
your  voice  is  so  distinctly  heard  in  the  soul  of  man  if 
his  essence  and  yours  were  not  bound  together  by  some 
electric  link,  as  are  all  things,  no  doubt,  in  the  univei-se? 
How  the  eyes  grow  dim  with  rapturous  teai-s,  and  the 
head  dizzy  with  wild  fancies,  when  holding  communion 
with  you,  on  the  midnight  watch !     Ye  stars,  that,  scat, 
tered  over  the  broad  expanse  of  heaven,  look  to  me  as 
If  ye  were  grains  of  golden  dust,  which  God  shook  off 
his  feet,  a.  he  walked  in  his  might,  on  the  days  of  crea. 
tion  I  love  and  worship  you !     When  there  was  none 
m  the  world  to  sympathize  with  an  aching  heart,  with 
a  heart  that  would  have  disdained,  in  its  lonely  pride 
to  show  Its  pangs  to  mortal  eyes,  how  often  have  I  felt 
reliefin  your  presence  from  the  bitter  recollection  of 
past  woes,  and  consolation  under  the  infliction  of  pres- 
ent sufferings !    How  often  have  I  drawn  from  you  such 
inspirations  as  prepared  me  to  meet,  with  fitting  forti- 
tude  harsher  trials  still  to  come!     How  often  have  I 
gazed  upon  you,  until,  flying  upon  the  wings  of  imad- 
nation,  I  soared  among  your  bright  host,  and  spiritual- 
ized myself  away,  far  away,  from  the  miseries  of  my 
contemptible  existence !     Howsoever  that   ephemerd 
worm,  cynical  man,  may  sneer,  he  is  no  idle  dreamer 
the  lover  of  you,  the  star-gazer.     The  broad  sheet  of 
heaven  to  which  ye  are  affixed,  like  letters  of  fire  is  a 
book  prepared  by  God  for  the  learned  and  the  igno- 
rant, where  man  can  read  lessons  to  guide  him  through 
the  active  duties  and  the  struggles  of  this  life,  and  to 
conduct  him  safely  to  the  portals  of  the  eternal  one 
which  awaits  mortality ! 

Thus  perhaps,  Iberville  felt,  as  he  was  spying  the 
face  of  heaven.  Suddenly,  his  reverie  was  interrupted 
by  a  slight  tap  on  the  shoulder.  He  started,  and  look- 
ing round,  saw  a  venerable  monk,  whose  person  was 


I'M''',  11 


'fill 


■w 


wm 


100 


WARNING  TO  IBERVILLR 


shrouded  up  in  a  brownish  gown  and  hood,  which  hardly 
left  any  thing  visible  save  his  sharp,  aquiline  nose,  his 
long  gray  beard,  and  his  dark  lustrous  eyes.  "  My 
son !"  said  he,  in  a  deep  tone,  "  what  dost  thou  see  above 
that  thus  rivets  thy  attention  ?"  "  Nothing,  father," 
replied  Iberville,  bowing  reverentially,  "  nothing ! 
From  the  contemplation  of  these  luminaries,  to  which 
my  eyes  had  been  attracted  by  their  unusual  radiancy, 
I  had  fallen  insensibly,  I  do  not  know  how,  into  dreamy 
speculations,  from  which  you  have  awakened  me,  father." 
"  Poor  stranger !"  continued  the  monk,  with  a  voice 
shaking  with  emotion,  "  thcnt,  hast  seen  nothing  !  But 
IJhO/ve,  and  will  tell  thee.  Fly  hence !  death  is  around 
thee — it  is  in  the  very  air  which  thou  dost  breathe. 
Seest  thou  that  deep,  blue  transparency  of  heaven,  so 
transparently  brilliant,  that  the  vault  which  it  forms, 
seems  to  be  melting  to  let  thy  sight,  as  thou  gazest, 
penetrate  still  farther  and  without  limits, — it  portends 
of  death  !  This  soft,  balmy  breeze  w^hicli  encompasseth 
thee  with  its  velvet  touch,  it  is  pleasing,  but  fatal  as 
the  meretricious  embraces  of  a  courtesan,  which  allure 
the  young  to  sin,  to  remorse,  and  to  death  !  Above  all, 
look  at  that  sign,  stamped  on  the  stars :  it  is  a  never- 
faUing  one.  Dost  thou  see  how  they  blink  and  twinkle, 
like  the  eyes  of  warning  angels  ?  They  no  longer  ap- 
pear like  fixed  incrustations  in  the  vault  of  heaven, 
but  they  seem  to  oscillate  with  irregular  and  tremulous 
vibrations.  Hasten  away  with  all  speed.  The  pesti- 
lence is  abroad ;  it  stalks  onward,  the  dire  queen  of  the 
land.  It  is  now  amid  yonder  revelers,  whose  music  and 
mundane  mirth  reach  our  ears.  Incumbent  on  its  hell- 
black  pinions,  the  shapeless  monster  hovers  over  you 
all,  selecting  its  victims,  and  crossing  their  foreheads 
with  its  deadly  finger.  Mark  me  !  That  awful  scourge, 
the  yellow  fever,  has  been  hatched  to-night.    Keep  out 


u 


IBERVILLE'S  SICKNESS  AND  DEATH, 


101 


of  its  path,  if  yet  there  be  time :  if  not,  mayst  thou,  my 
son,  be  prepared  to  meet  thy  God !"  So  saying,  the 
monk  made  the  holy  sign  of  tlie  cross,  blessed  with  his 
extended  index  the  astonished  Iberville,  who  devoutly 
uncovered  himself,  and  then  slowly  departed,  vanishing 
like  a  bird  of  ill  omen  in  the  gloom  of  the  night. 

It  was  morn.    With  his  brother  officers,  Iberville  sat 
at  a  table,  covered  with  maps,  charts,  and  scientific  in- 
str?iments.     The  object  of  their  meeting  was  to  come  to 
a  definite  understanding  as  to  the  plan  of  the  intended 
campaign,   and    to    regulate  their  future   movements. 
Suddenly,  Iberville,  xvho,  calm  and  self-collected,  had 
been  explaining  his  views,  sprung  up  from  his  seat  with 
the  most  intense  exj^ression  of  pain  in  his  haggard  fea- 
tures.    It  seemed  to  him  as  if  all  the  fires  and  whirl- 
winds of  a  volcano  had  concentrated  in  his  agonized 
head.     His  bloodshot  eyes  revolved  in  their  orbits  with 
restless  vivacity,  and  had  that  peculiar  daguerreotype 
glare,  so  annoying  to  the  looker-on.     Yellowish  streaks 
spread  instantaneously  over  his  face,  as  if  there  de- 
posited by  a  coarse  painter's  brush.     Sharp  shooting 
throes  racked  his  spine :   cold  shudderings  shook  his 
stiflfened  limbs,  and  his  blood  pulsated,  as  if  it  were 
bursting  from  his  veins  to  escape  from  the  turmoil  into 

which  it  had  been  heated  by  some  malignant  spell. 

At  such  a  sight,  the  officers  cried  out,  with  one  simul- 
taneous voice,  "  Poison  !  poison  !"  "  No !  no !"  ex- 
claimed Iberville,  gasping  for  breath,  and  falling  on  a 
couch,  "  not  poison  !  but  the  predicted  pestilence !  fly, 
fly,  my  friends— ah  !  the  monk  !  the  prophetic  monk  !— 
he  spoke  the  truth  !  O  God  !  my  prayer  at  Sauvolle's 
tomb  has  been  heard  !— Well !  content !  Thy  will  be 
done!  To  mother  earth  I  yield  my  body,  ashes  to 
ashes,  and  to  Thee  my  immortal  soul !"  These  Avonls 
were  followed  by  the  wildest  delirium,  and  ere  five 


itil 


'I 


II  J 


;>i' 


102 


BIENVILLE'S  INTERVIEW  WITH  INDIAN  CHIEPa 


hours  had  elapsed,  Iberville  had  been  gathered  to  hit 
forefathers'  bosom.  Thus  died  this  truly  great  and 
good  mao,  in  compliment  to  whose  memory  the  name 
of  Iberville  has  been  given  to  one  of  our  most  import- 
ant parishes. 

Ill  was  the  wind  that  carried  to  Louisiana  the  mel- 
ancholy information  of  Iberville's  death.  It  blasted  the 
hearts  of  the  poor  colonists,  and  destroyed  the  hope 
they  had  of  being  speedily  relieved.  Their  situation 
had  become  truly  deplorable :  their  numbers  were  rap» 
idly  diminishing :  and  the  Indians  were  daily  becoming 
more  hostile,  and  more  bold  in  their  demands  for  goods 
and  merchandise,  as  a  tribute  which  they  exacted  for 
not  breaking  out  into  actual  warfare.  Bienville  con- 
vened the  chiefs  of  the  Chickasavvs  and  of  the  Choc- 
taws,  in  order  to  conciliate  them  by  some  trifling  pres- 
ents of  which  he  could  yet  dispose,  and  to  gain  time  by 
some  fair  promises  as  to  what  he  would  do  for  them, 
under  more  favorable  circumstances.  With  a  view  of 
making  an  imposing  show,  Bienville  collected  all  the 
colonists  that  were  within  reach :  but  notwithstandinsr 
that  display,  a  question,  propounded  by  one  of  the  In- 
dian chiefs,  gave  him  a  humiliating  proof  of  the  slight 
estimation  in  which  the  savages  held  the  French  nation. 
Much  to  his  annoyance,  he  was  asked  if  that  part  of  his 
people  which  remained  at  home  were  as  numerous  as 
that  which  had  come  to  settle  in  Louisiana.  Bienville, 
who  spoke  their  language  perfectly  well,  attempted,  by 
words  and  comparisons,  suited  to  their  understanding, 
to  impart  to  them  a  correct  notion  of  the  extent  of  the 
population  of  France.  But  the  Indians  looked  incredu- 
lous, and  one  of  them  even  said  to  Bienville,  "  If  your 
countrymen  are,  as  you  affirm,  as  thick  on  their  native 
soil  as  the  leaves  of  our  forests,  how  is  it  that  they  do  not 
send  more  of  their  warriors  here,  to  avenge  Ihe  death  of 


i 


ifi 


HIS  CRITICAL  POST";  W— TNTRlOUEE  OF  La  SAI,LK      tOU 

■uch  of  them  as  have  fallen  by  our  handy  'i  Not  to  do  sa, 
when  having  the  power,  would  argue  them  to  be  of  a 
very  base  spirit.  And  how  is  it  that  most  of  the  tall 
and  powerful  men  that  came  with  you,  being  dead,  are 
replaced  only  by  boys,  or  cripples,  or  women,  that  do 
you  no  credit  ?  Surely  the  French  would  not  so  b©» 
have,  if  they  could  do  otherwise,  and  my  white  brothef 
tells  a  story  that  disparages  his  own  tribe." 

Thus  Bienville  found  himself  in  a  very  critical  sita». 
tion.  He  was  conscious  that  his  power  was  despised  by 
the  Indians,  who  knew  that  he  had  only  forty-five 
soldiers  at  his  disposal,  and  he  felt  that  the  red  men 
could  e;isi]y  rise  upon  him  and  crush  the  colony  at  one 
blow.  He  was  aware  that  they  were  restrained  fi-om 
doing  the  deed  by  their  cupidity  only,  bridled  as  they 
were  by  their  expectation  of  the  arrival  of  some  ship 
with  merchandise,  which,  they  knew  from  experience, 
would  soon  have  to  come  to  their  huts  to  purchase  peace, 
and  in  exchange  for  furs.  Bienville  felt  so  weak,  so 
much  at  the  mercy  of  the  surrounding  nations,  and  en- 
tertained such  an  apprehension  of  some  treacherous  and 
sudden  attack  on  their  part,  that  he  thought  it  pru- 
dent to  concentrate  his  forces,  and  to  abandon  the  fort 
where  he  kept  a  small  garrison  on  the  Mississippi. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  death  of  Iberville  had  en- 
couraged +he  hostility  of  Bienville's  enemies.  They 
knew  that  he  was  no  longer  supported  hj  the  powerful 
influence  of  his  brother  at  court,  and  they  renewed  their 
attacks  with  a  better  hope  of  success.  The  commissary 
La  Salle  pushed  on  his  intrigues  with  more  activity, 
and  reduced  them  to  a  sort  of  systematic  warfare.  He 
divided  the  colony  into  those  that  were  against  and 
those  that  were  for  Bienville.  All  such  persons  as  sup- 
ported the  governor's  administration  were  branded  as 
felons:  and  those  that  pursued  another  course,  who- 


t  rp. 

h 


I     ,1 


t|  ,1 


4^ 

1 
1 

^^1 

1 

li% 

^ 

!^| 

'3 

k 

iS 

,1 

i' 

fl 

J  '  ■'  ! 
■    hi 

f 

1 

ii! 


i-r' 


104 


OHARAOTER  OF  LA  SALLE. 


ever  they  might  be,  woiv  angels  of  i)urity.     At  that 
time,  tlicre  wjis  in  the  colony  a  pliysician,  sent  thither 
and  ^salaried  by  tin;  govcnnnent,  who  wjus  caHed  the 
knig's  physician.     His  name  Avas  Han-ot:  from  tlie  cir- 
cunistanc't^  of  his  being  the  only  member  of  his  profes- 
sion in  the  country,  and  fi-om  the  nature  of  his  duties, 
he  was  in  a  position  to  exercise  a  good  tleal  of  infbience! 
La  Salle  attempted  to  win  him  over  to  his  side,  and 
havmg  failed  in  his  elfoi-ts,  he  innnediately  wrote  to  the 
mm.ster,  "Ihat   Barrot,  although  he  had  the  honor  of 
being  the  king's  physician  in  the  colony,  was  no  bet- 
ter than  a  fool,  .■,  drunkard  and  a  rogue,  who  sold  the 
kmg's  drugs  mid  ai)propriated  the  money  to  his  own 
purj)oses." 

Authors,  who  have  written  on  the  structure  of  man, 
have  said  th.-it  if  his  featuivs  were  closely  examined,' 
there  would  l)e  found   in  them  a  strange  ivsemhlance 
with  some  of  the  animals,  of  the  birds,  or  of  the  reptiles 
that  ])eople  this  glohe.     I  remember  having  seen  curi- 
ous engi'avings    evcmplitying  this  jussertioli    with    the 
most  wond(Mful  etl'c.,.t.     In  a  moral  stmse,  the  reseni- 
bhmce  is  perhaps  greater,  and  the  uhah^  the  lion,  the 
eagle,  the   uolf,  the  lamb,  an.l  other  varieties  of  the 
brutish  creation,  may,   without  much  examination,  be 
discovered  to  exist,  i)hysically  and  spiritually,  in  the 
human  species.     Among  the  bipeds  that  are  reckoned 
to  helong  to  the  ranks  of  lunnanity,  hoik,  wiv,  l)etter 
calculat<'d  than  La  Salle  to  personate  the  toad.     His 
mission  was  to  secrete  venom,  as  the  I'ose  exhales  i)er- 
fumes.     Nature  delights  in    contrai'ieties.     Fat,  short, 
and  sleek,  with  bloated  featuivs  and  oily  skin,  he  vvjj 
no  unfit  representative  of  that  ivptile,  although  certainly 
to  him  the  traditionary  legend  of  a  jewel  in  th(^  head 
could  not  be  api)lie<l.    Pulled  up  in  self-conceit,  an  eter- 
nal smile  of  contentineiit  wan  stereotyped  on  tlu;  <tos8 


CUARACTKIl  OF  LA  SALLE. 


texture  of  his  lips,  .vliere  it  was  mixed  with  an  expres- 
sion of  b(!stiiil  sensuality.     Ilin  cold  grayish  eyes  had 
the  dull  s(iuintof  the  ho,<r,  and  as  he  strutted  along,  one 
was  almost  amazed  not  to  lujar  an  occasional   grunt. 
This  thing  of  the  neuter  gendcir,  wliich,  to  gift  with  the 
faculty  of  s])eech,  seenuMl  to  he  an  injustitM*  dont;  to  the 
superior  intelhict  of  the  bal.oon,  did,  forsooth,  think  it- 
self an  oi-ator.     Whenciver  this  royal  commissaiy  had  a 
chance  of  catchijig  a  few  of  tlu;  colonists  together,  for 
instance,  on  all  public;  oc^casions,  he  would  gradually 
drop  the  tone  of  conversation,  and  su])lirnate  his  collo- 
quial address  into  a  final  harangue.     Thus,  the  valves 
of  his  brazen  throat   being  o\)va\,  out  ran  tlu;  muddy 
water  of  his  bi-ain,  b(!spattering  all  that  stood  within 
reach.     Pitched  on  a  high  and   monotonous   key,  his 
prosy  voice  (;ai'ricd  to  his  h(;arei-s,  for  hours,  the'  same 
insane,  insi[)ld  flow  of  bond)astic  phrases,  falling  on  the 
ear  with  the  unvaried  and  evei'- recurring  sound  of  a 
pack-hoi'se  Avheel  in  a  Hour-mill.     A  coiner  of  words,  he 
could  have  filled  with   them  th<^  vaults  of  the  vastest 
mint;  l>ut  if  analyzed   and   niduccd    to  their  sterlin*^- 
vahie,  th(!y  would  not  havi^  produc(!d  a  grain  of  sense! 
This  nian,  contemptlhle  as  In;  was,  had  actually  become 
a  public  nuisance,  on  account  of  the  imj)cdiments  with 
which  iie  embai-rassed  the  administration  of  Louisiana. 
II(!  was  (dernally  meddling  with  every  thing,  under  the 
pretext  of  correcting  /abuses,  and  although  lie  was  in- 
ca})able  of  ])i'oducing  any  thing  of  Ids  own,  that  could 
stand  on  its  legs  for  a  minute,  he  was  incessantly  con- 
cocting some  plan,  as  ill-begotten  as  his  own  misshapen 
person.     He  was,  in  his  own  delirious  opinion,  as  com- 
plete a  financier,  as  skilll'ul  a  statesman,  as  great  a  gen- 
eral, and,  above  all,  as  ])rof  mnd  a  legislator,  as  ever 
lived;  so  that  this  legislative;  (Caliban  had  even  gone  so 
far  as  to  imagine  he  could  tVanie  a  code  of  laws  for  the 


)  \  '■9 

r\ 
1 11 


%w 


IS! 


1    i' 


DISMISSAL  OF  BIENVILLE  FROM  OFFICR 

colony ;  and,  Lecunse  all  his  preposterous  propositions 
were  resisted  by  Bienville,  he  had  conceiml  for  him 
tlu^  ],ittcrest  luitred.  To  do  him  justice,  it  nuist  be  said 
that  lie  was  in  earnest,  when  he  r(;])roached  (,thei-s  with 
malversation  and  every  sort  of  malfeasances.  Tliere 
are  creatui'cs  whose  accusations  it  would  ho.  wroi\<r  to 
resent.  T\u>y  see  themselves  i'eflcct(!d  in  others,  and, 
like  yelpin.i,^  curs,  pursue  with  tlieii-  barkings  the  sinful 
image :  it  would  be  as  idle  to  expect  them  to  under- 
staiul  the^  workings  of  a  noble  heart  and  of  a  great 
mind,^  as  it  woidd  be  to  imagine  that  a  worm  could 
raise  itself  to  the  conception  of  a  |)lanet's  gravitations. 

Wo  thought  Bienville,  and  he  passed  with  silent  con- 
tem])t  ovei-  La  Salle's  man(euvers.     Was  he  not  ri<dit? 
He  who  thinks  himself  youi-  adversary,  but  who,  it' you 
were  to  turn  ujxm  him  wit'.i  the  Hashes  of  honest  inilig- 
nation,  with  the  uplifted  spear  of  physical  and  mental 
power  united,  with  the  threatening  aspect  of  what  he 
does  not  possess  and  dreams  not  of,  a  soul,  convulsed 
into  a  storm,  would  shi-ink  into  an  atom  and  flatten 
himself  to  the  level  of  your  heels,  can  not  be  a  real  ad- 
versaiy :  his  enmity  is  to  be  ivgard(>d  as  a  vain  slnulow, 
the  phantom  of  impotent  envy.     This  is  no  doubt  the 
most  dignified  coui'se  to  In-  pursued,  l)ut  perhaps  not  the 
most  pi'udent;  and  Bienville  so.m  discovered  that,  how- 
evei-  it  may  be  in  theoiy,  there  is,  in  practice,  no  attack 
so  ])itiful  as  not  to  recpiire  some  sort  of  precautionary 
defense.     Thus  on  the  l;Uh  of  July,  1707,  the  minister 
dismissed  Bienville  from  oflici^  appointed  I)e  Mays  in 
his  place,  and  instructed  this  new  governoi-  to  examine 
into  the  administration  of  his  predecessor,  and  into  the 
accusations  brought  against  Iiim,  with  the  authorization 
of  sending  him  prisoner  to  France,  if  they  were  well 
founded.     A  poor  chance  it  was  for  l^>ieiiville,  to  be 
judged  by  the  man  that  pushed  him  from  his  stool,  and 


I 


hiPr 


CONDITION  OF  THE  COLONY. 


107 


whose  continuance  in  office  would  prolmhly  depend 
upon  the  guilt  of  tlio  accused !  Tliis  was  hut  a  sorry 
retr.rn  for  the  services  of  Bienville  and  for  those  of  his 
distinguished  family.     But  thus  g^^s  tlie  world  ! 

La  Salle  had  no  cause  to  triumph  over  the  downfall 
of  Bienville,  for  he  himself  was,  at  the  same  time,  dis- 
missed from  office,  and  was  succeeded  by  Diron  d'Ar- 
taguette.  Nay,  he  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  Bien- 
ville retain  his  power,  while  he  lost  his ;  because  De 
Muys  never  reached  Louisiana,  having  died  in  Havana, 
on  his  way  to  the  colony  of  which  he  had  been  ap- 
point(;d  governor.  To  increase  his  vexation,  he  saw 
that  most  of  the  colonists,  even  those  who  had  been 
momentarily  opposed  to  Bienville,  became  suddenly 
alive  to  his  merits,  when  they  were  on  the  eve  of  losing 
him,  and  witli  s])()ntaneous  unanimity,  sul)scribed  a  pe- 
tition, by  which  they  expressed  t\unv  satisfaction  with 
Bienville's  administration,  and  supplicated  the  minister 
not  to  deprive  them  of  such  a  wise  and  faithful  trov- 
ernoi'.  This  was  sufliciently  distressing  for  La  Salle's 
envious  heart ;  but  his  sj)leen  was  worked  into  a  parox- 
ysm of  rage,  when  he  was  informed  that  his  successor, 
the  royal  commissary,  Dii-on  d'Ai'taguette,  had  made  a 
re])ort  to  the  king,  in  which  he  declared,  that  all  the 
accusations  ])i-ought  against  Bienville,  were  mere  slan- 
derous inventions,  which  rested  on  no  other  foundation 
than  the  blackest  malice.  Writhing  like  a  snake,  un- 
dei-  the  unexi)ecte(l  blow,  he  still  attempt^id  to  sting, 
and  he  wrote  to  France,  "  that  d'Artaguette  was  not 
deserving  of  any  faith  or  credit ;  that  he  had  come  to 
an  undei-standing  with  Bienville,  and  that  they  were 
both  e({ually  bad  and  corrupt." 

It  was  by  such  misunderstandings  among  the  chiefs 
of  the  colony,  that  its  progi-ess  was  checked  so  long. 
Iii  1708,  ita  populatiou  did  not  <3xceed  2VJ  persons. 


•.  i 


■il 


mH 


1:1 


I 


108 


CONDITION  OP  THE  COLONY. 


*i 

1 

1 

1 

1^1 

pi 

1 

To  this  number  must  be  added  sixty  Canadian  vaga- 
bonds, who  led  a  wandering  and  licentious  life  among 
the  Indians.  Its  principal  wealth  consisted  in  50  cows, 
40  calves,  4  bulls,  8  oxen,  1400  hogs,  and  2000  hens! 
This  statement  shows  the  feel)leness  of  the  colony  after 
an  existence  of  nine  years.  But  the  golden  eggs  had 
been  laid  in  the  land,  and  altliough  kept  torpid  and 
unprofita])le  for  more  than  a  century,  by  the  chilling 
contact  of  an  imbecile  dtspotism,  they,  in  the  progress 
of  time,  were  hatched  by  the  warm  incubation  ot^  lib- 
erty into  the  production  of  that  splendid  order  of 
things,  which  is  the  wonder  of  the  present  age. 

But,  at  that  time,  the  colony  seemed  to  be  gifted 
with  little  vitality,  and  the  nursling  of  Bienville  threat- 
ened to  expire  in  his  hands  at  every  moment.     The 
colonists  were  little  disposed  to  undertake  the  laborious 
task  of  securing  their  subsistence  by  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil,  and  they  expected  that  the  mother  country 
would  minister  to  all  their  wants.     Servile  hands  would 
have  been  necessary,  ])ut  Indian  slavery  was  not  found 
to  be  profitable,  and  Bienville  wrote  to  his  government 
to  obtain  the  authorization  of  exchanging  Indians  for 
negroes,  with  the  French  West  India  Islands.     "  We 
shall  give,"  said   he,  "three  Indians  for  two  negroes. 
The  Indians,  when  in  the  islands,  will  not  be  able  to 
run  away,  t!     country  being  unknown  to  them,  and  the 
negroes  will  not  dare  to  become  fugitives  in  Louisiana, 
because  the  Indians  would  kill  them."     Tliis  demand 
met    witli   no  favorable  reception.     Bienville  was  so 
anxious  to  favor  the  development  of  the  colony,  that  lie 
was  led  by  it  into  an  unjust  and  despotic  measure,  as  is 
proved  by  +lie  following  extract  from  one  of  his  dis. 
patches.      "I   have    ordered    several    citizens    of  La 
Rocliolle  to  be  closely  watched,  because  they  wish  to 
quit  the  country.     They  have  scraj)ed  up  something  by 


CONDITION  OF  THE  COLONY. 


109 


keeping  taverns.  Therefore  it  appears  to  me  to  be 
nothing  but  justice  to  force  them  to  remain  in  the 
country,  on  tlie  substance  of  which  they  have  fattened." 
This  sentiment,  howsoever  it  may  disagree  with  our 
modern  notions  of  right  and  wrong,  was  not  repugnant 
to  the  ethics  of  the  time. 

In  spite  of  the  spirited  exertions  of  Bienville,  famine 
reappeared  in  the  colony,  and  in  January,  1709,  the  in- 
habitants were  reduced  to  live  on  acorns.  As  usual, 
under  such  circumstiuiccs,  the  intestine  dissensions,  of 
which  such  a  melancholy  description  has  be^  .i  already 
given,  became  more  acrid.  The  minds  of  racin  are  r  jt 
apt  to  grow  conciliating  under  the  double  infliction  of 
disappointment  and  famine,  and  the  attacks  upon  Bien- 
ville were  renewed  with  more  than  usual  fierceness.  La 
Salle,  although  now  stripped  of  the  trappings  of  office, 
still  remained  in  the  colony,  to  pursue  his  game,  and  to 
force  the  noble  lord  of  the  forest  to  stand  at  bay.  His 
associate  in  persecution,  the  Curate  de  la  Vente,  hallooed 
with  him  in  zealous  imitation,  and  it  is  much  to  be  re- 
gretted that  they  were  joined  in  the  chase  by  Marigny 
de  Mandeville,  a  brave  and  noble-minded  officer,  lately 
come  to  the  country,  who  informed  his  government 
"  that  the  colony  never  would  prosper  until  it  had  a 
governor  with  an  honest  heart  and  with  an  energetic 
mind ;''  which  meant  that  Bienville  wjis  deficient  in 
both.  It  was  an  error  committed  by  Marigny  de  Ma"- 
deville,  and  into  which  he  was  no  doubt  led  by  the 
misrepresentations  of  La  Salle  and  of  the  Curate  de  la 
Vente. 

Bienville  had  so  far  remained  passive,  but  was  at  hist 
stung  into  angry  recriminations,  Avhich  he  retorted  on 
all  his  adversaries,  j)articularly  on  the  Curate  de  la 
Vente,  who,  said  he,  ^^  Md  trL"  to  stir  up  everybody 
ugainst  hm  by  his  mhiinnies^  and  wJiOf  in  the  mean 


11 1  'i 


5,  m 


I       ' ! 


'■  ,       X-     f  I 


:i 

■ 

I 

'i 

J 

i. 

i 

,1  fe'lli 


110 


ROYAL  CHARTER  TO  ANTHONY  CROZAT. 


time,  did  not  llu.'ih  to  heep  an  open  shop,  where  his  mode 
of  trapikmg  shcrwed  that  he  was  a  shrewd  compound 
of  the  Arab  and  of  the  Jew^ 

The  scarcity  of  provisions  became  such  in  1710,  that 
Bienville  inforned  liis  government  that  he  had  scat- 
tered the  greatest  part  of  his  men  among  the  Indians, 
upon  whom  he  had   quartered  them  for  food.     This 
measure  had  been  more  than  once  adopted  before,  and 
demonstrates  that  the  Indians  could  hardly  have  been 
so  hostile  as  they  liave  been  r(])resented  ;   otherwise, 
they  would  have  availed  themselves  of  sucli  opportuni- 
ties to  destroy  the  invaders  of  their  territory.     Be  it  as 
it  may,  the  colony  continued  in  its  lingering  condition, 
gasi)ing  for  breath  in  its  cradle,  until  1712,  when,  on 
the  14th  of  September,  the  King  of  France  granted  to 
Anthony  Crozat  the  exclusive  privilege,  for  fifteen  years, 
of  trading  in  all  that  immense  territory  which,  with  its 
undefined  limits,  France  claimed  as  her  own  under  the 
name  of  Louisiana.    Among  other  privileges,  were  those 
of  sending,  once  a  year,  a  ship  to  iVfrica  lor  negroes,  and 
of  possessing  and  working  all  the  mines  of  precious 
metals  to  be  discovered  in  Louisiana,  provided  that  one 
fourth  of  their  proceeds  should  be  reserved  for  the 
king.     He  also  had  the  privilege  of  owning  forever  all 
the  lands  that  he  would  improve  by  cultivation,  all  the 
buildings  he  would  erect,  and  all  the  manufactures  that 
he  might  establish.     His   principal   obligation,  in  ex- 
change for  such  advantages,  was  to  send  every  year  to 
Louisiana,  two  ships'  loads  of  colonists,  and,  after  nine 
years,  to  assume  all  the  expenses  of  the  administration 
of  the  colony,  including  those  of  the  garrison  and  of  its 
officers ;  it  being  understood  that,  in  consideration  of 
such  a  charge,  he  would  have  the  privilege  of  nominat- 
ing the  officers  to  be  appointed  by  the  king.     In  the 
mean  time,  the  annual  sum  of  fifty  thousand  livrea 


CONDITIONS  OF  THE  CHARTER. 


Ill 


($10,000)  was  allowed  to  Crozat  for  the  king's  share 
of  the  expenses  required  by  Louisiana.  It  was  further 
provided  that  the  laws,  ordinances,  customs,  and  usages 
of  the  Prevostship  and  Viscounty  of  Paris  should  form 
the  legislation  of  the  colony.  There  was  also  to  be  a 
government  council,  similar  to  the  one  established  in 
San  Domingo  and  Martinique. 

This  charter  of  concessions  virtually  made  Crozat  the 
supreme  lord  and  master  of  Louisiana.  Thus  Louisiana 
was  dealt  with,  as  if  it  had  been  a  royal  farm,  and 
leased  by  Louis  the  XlVth  to  the  highest  bidder.  It 
is  a  mere  business  transaction,  but  which  colors  itself 
with  the  hue  of  romance,  wh(ai  it  is  remembered  that 
Louisiana  was  the  farm,  Louis  the  XlVth  the  landlord, 
and  that  Anthony  Crozat  was  the  farmer. 

Anthony  Crozat  was  one  of  those  men  who  dignify 
commerce,  and  recall  to  memory  those  princely  mer- 
chants, of  whom  Genoa,  Venice,  and  Florence  boasted 
of  yore.  Born  a  peasant's  son,  on  the  estate  of  one  of 
the  great  patricians  of  France,  he  was,  when  a  boy,  re- 
marked for  the  acuteness  of  his  intellect ;  and  having 
the  good  fortune  of  being  tlie  foster  brother  of  the  only 
son  of  his  feudal  lord,  he  was  sent  to  school  by  his  noble 
patron,  received  the  first  rudiments  of  education,  and  at 
fifteen  was  placed,  as  clerk,  in  a  commercial  house. 
There,  by  the  protection  of  the  nobleman,  who  never 
ceased  to  evince  the  liveliest  interest  in  his  fate,  and 
particularly  by  the  natural  ascendency  of  his  strong 
genius,  he  rose,  in  the  course  of  twenty  years,  to  be  a 
partner  of  his  old  employer,  married  his  daughter,  and 
shortly  after  this  auspicious  event,  found  himself,  on 
the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  one  of  the  richest  mer* 
chants  in  Europe.  He  still  continued  to  be  favored  by 
circumstances,  and  having  had  the  good  fortune  of 
loaning  large  sums  of  money  to  the  government  in  cases 


't :' 


1  .in 


J.I 


p' 

1  . 

1 

'*      1 
.    1 

1 
1 

! 

1 

1 

li 

1 

1 

i 
1 

i 

1 

112 


HISTORY  OF  CROZAT. 


W'  -I 


V 


W)i« 


Uilil 


of  emergency,  he  was  rewarded  for  his  services  by  his 
being  ennobled  and  created  Marquis  dii  CJbatel. 

So  far,  Crozat  liad  known  ])ut  the  sunny  side  of  life  ; 
but  for  every  man  the  hour  of  trial  must  strike,  sooner 
or  later,  on  the  clock  of  fate,  and  the  length  or  in- 
tensoness  of  the  felicity  that  one  has  enjoyed,  is  generally 
counter))alance(l  l)y  a  proportionate  inmction  of  calam- 
ity.    PIapi)y  is  he,  perhai)s,  whom  adversity  meets  on 
the  thi-eshold  of  existence,  and  accompanies  through 
part  of  his  career.     Then,  the  nerves  of  youth  may  re- 
sisl    '-2  shock,  and  be  even  improved  by  the  stru^-rde. 
The  mind  and  body,  disci])lined   by  the  severe  "trial 
through  which  they  have  passed,  have  time  to  substitute 
gams  for  lofses  in  the  account  book  of  life.     At  any 
rate,  when  the  tribute  of  tears  and  sufferings  is  early 
paid,  the  debtor  may  hope  for  a  clear  and  l>right  me- 
ridian ;  and  when  the  sun  of  his  destiny  sinks  down  in 
the  west,  he  has  some  right  to  expect,  if  clouds  should 
gather  round  the  setting  orb,  that  it  will  only  l^e  to 
gladden  the  ^ight  by  the  gorgeousness  of  their  colors. 
But  if  smiling  fortune,  after  having  rocked  her  favorite 
m  his  cradle,  gives  him  her  uninterrupted  attendance 
until  his  manhood  is  past,  she  is  very  apt  to  desert  him 
on  the  first  cold  ap]iroach  of  old  age,  when  he  is  most 
m  neetl  of  her  support;  for,  the  stern  decree  that  man 
IS  born  to  suffer,  must  be  accomplished  before  the  por- 
tals of  another  life  are  open ;  and  then,  woe  to  the  gray- 
headed  victim,  who,  after  long  days  of  luxurious^ease, 
finds   himself  suddenly  abandoned,  a  martyr  in  the 
arena  of  judgment,  to  the  fangs  and  jaws  of  the  wild 
beasts  of  an   unfeeling  and  scoffing  world.     Woe  to 
him,  if  his  Christian  faith  is  not  bound  to  his  heart  by 
adamantine  chains,  to  subdue  j^hysical  pain,  to  arm  his 
soul  with  divine  fortitude,  and  grace  his  last  momenta 
with  sweet  dignity  and  calm  resignation ! 


I 


iHii 


ili^^'l 


iji'l 


DEATH  OF  HIS  WIFE. 


118 


Crozat  was  doomed  to  make  this  sad  experiment 
Ihe  first  shaft  aimed  at  liim  fell  on  his  wife,  whom  he 
lost,  ten  years  after  the  birth  of  his  only  child,  a  daugh- 
ter, now  the  sole  hope  of  his  house.     Intense  was  his 
sorrow,  and  never  to  be  assuaged,  for  no  common  com- 
panion his  wife  had  been.     Looking  up  to  him  with 
affectionate  reverence  as  one,  whom  the  laws,  both  di- 
vine and  human,  had  appointed  as  her  guide,  she  had 
hved  rather  in  him  than  in  herself.     She  had  been  ab- 
sorbed  into  her  husband,  and  the  business  of  her  whole 
life  had  been  to  study  and  to  anticipate  his  wishes  and 
wants.     Endowed  with  all  the  graces  of  her  sex,  and 
with  a  cultivated  intellect  chastened  by  modesty,  which 
hardly  left  any  thing  to  be  desired  for  its  perfection, 
she  rendered  sweeter   the  part   of  ministering   angel 
Avhich  she  had  assumed,  to  bless  him  in  this  world. 
With  feminine  art,  she  had  incorporated  herself  with 
his  organization,  and  gliding  into  the  very  essence  of 
his  soul,  she  had  become  the  originating  spring  of  all 
his  thoughts  and  sentiments.     It  was  beautiful  to  see 
how,  entwining  herself  round  his  conceptions,  his  voli' 
tion  and  actions,  she  had  made  herself  a  component 
part  of  his  individuality,  so  that  she  really  was  flesh  of 
his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone.     Is  it  to  be  wondered  at 
that  when  she  died,  he  felt  that  the  luminary  which 
lighted  up  his  path  had  been  extinguished,  and  that  a 
wheel  had  suddenly  stopped  within  himself?     From 
that  fatal  event,  there  never  was  a  day  when  the  recol- 
lections of  the  past  did  not  fill  his  soul  with  anguish. 

Crozat's  only  consolation  was  his  daughter.  The 
never-ceasing  anxiety  with  which  he  watched  over  her, 
until  she  grew  into  womanhood,  would  beggar  all  de- 
scription ;  and  even  then  she  remained  a  frail  flower, 
which,  to  be  keiit  alive,  required  to  be  fanned  by  the 
gentlest  zephyrs,  and  to  be  softly  watered  from  that 

u 


\f 


'I  t 


HISTORY  OP  CROZAT. 


■Ik 


liii. 


spring  which  gushes  from  the  deep  well  of  the  heart, 
at  the  touch  of  true  affection.  She  was  exquisitely 
beautiful,  but  there  was  this  peculiarity  in  her  beauty, 
that  although  her  person  presented  that  voluptuous 
symmetry,  that  rich  fullness  of  form,  and  that  delicate 
roundness  of  outline  which  artists  admire,  yet  soul  pre- 
dominated in  her  so  much  over  matter,  that  she  looked 
rather  like  a  spirit  of  the  air,  than  an  incarnation  of 
mortality.  She  produced  the  effect  of  an  unnatural 
apparition :  forgetting  the  fa.scinations  of  the  flesh,  one 
would  gaze  at  her  as  something  not  of  this  world,  and 
feel  for  her  such  love  as  angels  may  inspire.  She  ap- 
peared to  be  clothed  in  terrestrial  substance,  merely 
because  it  was  necessary  to  that  earthly  existence 
which  she  wore  as  a  garment  not  intended  for  her,  «^:' 
which  had  Ixen  put  on  only  by  mistake.  She  was  out 
of  place:  there  was  something  in  her  organization, 
which  disqualified  her  for  the  companionship  of  the 
sons  of  Eve :  she  looked  as  if  she  had  strayed  from  a 
toiler  sphere.  Those  who  knew  her  were  impressed 
with  an  undefinable  feeling  that  she  was  a  temporary 
loan  made  to  earth  hy  heaven,  and  that  the  slightest 
disappointment  of  the  heart  in  her  nether  career,  would 
■send  her  instantly  to  a  fitter  and  more  congenial  abode. 
Alas!  there  are  beings  invested  with  such  exquisite 
•sensi!  )ility  that  the  vile  clay  which  enters  into  their 
composition,  and  which  may  be  intended  as  a  protect- 
ing texture,  without  which  human  life  would  be  intol- 
erable for  the  spirit  within,  imbibing  too  much  of  the 
■ethereal  essence  to  which  it  is  allied,  ceases  to  be  a 
shield  against  the  ills  we  are  heirs  to,  in  this  valley  of 
miseries.  It  is  a  mark  set  upon  them  !  It  is  a  pledge 
that  the  wounded  soul,  writhing  under  repeated  inflic- 
tions, will  wear  out  its  frail  tenement,  and  soon  escape 
irom  its  ordeal.    Such  was  the  threatened  fate  of  An- 


I 


HIS  DAUOHTER  ANDREA. 


119 


I 


drea,  the  daughter  of  Crozat.  And  he  knew  it,  the 
poor  father !  he  knew  it,  and  he  trembled !  and  he 
lived  in  perpetual  fear:  and  he  would  clasp  ]m  hands, 
and  in  such  agonies  as  the  paternal  heart  only  knows] 
kneeling  down,  humbling  himself  in  the  dust,  he  would 
pour  out  prayers  (oh,  how  eloquent!)  that  the  Al- 
mighty, in  his  infinite  mercy,  would  spare  his  child  ! 

Crozat  had  sedulously  kept  up  the  closest  relations 
with  his  noble  friend  and  patron,  to  whom  there  had 
also  ])een  born  but  one  heir,  a  son,  the  sole  pillar  of  a 
ducal  house,  connected  with  all  the  imperial  and  royal 
dynasties  of  Europe.     A  short   time  after  his   wife's 
death,  Crozat  had  had  the  misfortune  to  follow  to  the 
grave  the  duke,  his  foster  brother;  and  his  daughter 
Andrea,  who  was  known  to  lack  at  home  the  gentle 
nursing  of  a  mother,  had  been  tendered  the  spfendid 
hospitality  of  the   dowager   duchess,  where   she   had 
grown  up  in  a  sort  of  sisterly  intimacy  with  the  young 
duke.     There  she  had  conceived,  unknowingly  to  her- 
self at  first,  the  most  intense  passion  for  her  youthful 
companion,  which,  when  it  revealed  itself  to  her  dis- 
mayed heart,  was  kept  carefully  locked  up  in  its  inmost 
recesses.     Poor  maiden !     The  longum  hihei'e  amorem 
was  fatally  realized  with  her,  and  she  could  not  tear 
herself  from  the  allurements  of  the  banquet  upon  which 
she  daily  feasted  her  affections.     Unknown  her  secret, 
she  lived  in  fancied  security,  and,  for  a  while,  enjoyed 
as  pure  a  happiness  as  may  be  attained  to— the  happi- 
ness  of  dreams ! 

One  day,  a  rumor  arose  that  a  matrimonial  alliance 
was  in  fhe  way  of  preparation  for  that  lineal  descend- 
ant of  a  princely  race,  for  the  young  duke,  who  was  the 
concealed  idol  of  her  heart.  There  are  emotions  which 
It  would  be  too  much  for  human  endurance  to  hide  from 
a  sympathetic  eye,  much  less  from  parental  penetration, 


'■     :>f. 


i     *i 


!'.i 


4.  r 


mi^ 


h  ! 


116 


HISTORY  OF  CROZAT. 


and  on  that  day  the  terribk)  truth  bur.st  upon  (!rozat, 
and  stunned  liini  with  an  unexpected  hlovv.  It  was  a 
hurricane!  of  woes  sweejiing  througli  hin  heart :  he  felt 
as  if  he  and  his  cliild  were  in  a  tornado,  out  of  whic^i  to 
«ave  Iier  wiw  inipos8il)k'.  Too  well  he  kiiew  liis  An- 
di'ea,  and  too  well  he  knen-  that  she  would  not  Hurvive 
the  withering  of  hv.r  hoptN,  w  ild  as  tkey  were  !  "  Time !" 
exclaimed  lie,  jih  lie  ])aced  hi.s  room  witii  hurried  steps, 
holding  connnunion  with  himself,  "Time,  that  worker 
of  great  things,  must  be  gainetl !  But  how?"  A  sud- 
den thought  flashed  through  his  brain  !  Thank  God, 
he  clutched  the  remedy!  Was  it  not  currently  re- 
ported and  believed  that  the  l)etrothed  of  the  duke 
loved  one,  of  equally  noble  birth,  but  whose  prottered 
hand  had  been  rejected  by  an  and)itious  father,  merely 
because  fortune,  with  her  golden  gifts,  did  not  back  his 
pretensions  i  That  wius  enough !  And  Cro/at,  on  that 
very  day,  had  sought  and  found  the  desi>airing  lover. 
"  Sir !"  said  he  to  the  astonished  youth,  "  in  the  civil 
wai-s  which  desc^lated  France  during  the  minority  of 
Louis  the  XlVth,  and  which  ruined  your  family,  seve- 
ral millions  were  extorted  from  your  father  by  one, 
who  then  had  the  })ower.  Here  they  are — it  it^  a  res- 
titution— ask  no  name — I  am  a  mere  agent  and  bound 
to  secrecy."  The  sti-ange  tale  was  taken  as  true,  and 
in  a  short  time  the  betrothed  of  the  young  duke  was 
led  to  the  hymeneal  altar  by  a  more  successful  rival. 

Crozat  had  been  a  traitor  and  a  liar ! — a  traitor  to 
his  friend  and  benefactor's  son  !  But  he  was  a  father ! 
— and  he  saw  his  daughter's  tomb  already  wide  opnii 
and  gaping  for  the  ex})ected  prey !  And  was  she  not 
to  be  rescued  at  an}  cost  ?  And  was  he  to  stand  with 
folded  arm?,  and  to  remain  passive,  while,  in  his  sigh+^ 
despair  slowly  chiseled  the  cokl  sepulchral  marble  des- 
tined for  hi'  t,hV{ ?     IMo ! — he  saved  her,  and  did  not 


i 


HISTORY  OF  CROZAT, 


117 


stop  to  inquire  wliother  the  mean«  he  employerl  were 
legitimate.  Now,  he  saw  her  smile  again  and  resume, 
as  it  were,  that  current  of  'Itb  which  was  fast  ebbing 
away ! — and  he  was  happy !  And  had  he  not  a  suffi- 
cient excuse  to  plead  at  that  seat  of  judgment  which 
every  man  has  within  his  l)reast,  when  the  shrill  voice 
of  conscience  rose  against  him  in  accusation,  and  said, 
"Thou  hast  done  wrong !  to  save  thyself,  or  thine,  thou 
hast  been  recreant  to  thy  trust — thou  hast  injured  thy 
neighbor,  and  acted  dishonorably  V  Crozat,  however, 
was  not  the  man  to  lay  a  flattering  unction  to  his  soul. 
There  was  in  him  no  false  logic  of  a  corrupt  mind  to 
argue  successfully  against  the  plain  voice  of  truth :  his 
were  not  the  ears  of  the  wicked,  deaf  to  the  admonitions 
of  our  inward  monitor.  However  gently  conscience 
might  have  spoken  her  disapprobation,  he  heard  it, 
and  stood  self-condemned. 

He  went  to  his  patron's  widow,  to  the  duchess,  and 
told  her  all — and  prostrating  himself  at  her  feet,  await- 
ed her  sentence.  She  raised  him  gently  from  his  hum- 
ble posture,  and  self-collected,  soaring  as  it  were  above 
human  passions,  while  she  riveted  upon  him  the  stead- 
fast look  of  her  calm,  blue  eyes,  thus  she  spoke  with 
Juno-like  dignity,  and  with  a  sweet,  musical  voice,  but 
seeming  as  cold  to  the  afflicted  father,  in  spite  of  its 
bland  intonations,  as  the  northern  Avind :  "  Crozat,  this 
is  a  strange  and  a  moving  tale.  You  stand  forgiven,  for 
you  have  acted  as  nature  would  prompt  most  men  to  do, 
and  even  if  your  error  had  been  more  grievous,  your  man- 
ly candor  and  frank  confession  would  redeem  the  guilt. 
Therefore,  let  it  pass ;  let  your  conscience  be  relieved 
from  further  pangs  on  this  subject.  My  esteem  and 
friendship  stand  the  same  for  you  as  before.  What 
grieves  me  to  the  heart,  is  the  deplorable  situation  of 
your  Andrea,  who  is  mine  also,  and  whom  I  love  like 


'.n 


I  ■'! 


■  J  ii 

■■■rs 


118 


HISTORY  OF  OROZAT, 


11' 


■ 


'f 


l|       ! 


a  daughter,  although  she  can  not  be  permitted  to  assume 
such  a  relation  to  me  in  the  eye  of  the  world.     Slie  is 
young,  and  it  shall   be   our  special   care,   by  gentle 
means,  to  cure  her  by  degrees  of  the  wild  passion  which 
has  possessed  her  soul,  poor  child.     As  this,  our  first 
conversation  on  this  painful  topic,  shall  be  the  last,  I 
wish  to  express  my  sentiments  to  you  with  suflScient 
fullness,  that  I  may  be  clearly  understood.     I  wish  you 
to  know,  that  my  heart  is  not  inflated  with  vulgar 
pride.  ^  I  do  not  think  that  my  blood  is  different  from 
yours  in  its  composition,  and  is  noble  solely  because  I 
descend  from  a  particular  breed,  and  that  yours  is  vile, 
because  the  accidental  circumstance  of  birth  has  placed 
you  among  the  plebeians  and  what  we  call  the  base  and 
the  low-born.     A  peasant's  son,  if  he  be  virtuous  and 
great  in  soul  and  in  mind,  is  more  in  my  estimation 
than  a  king's,  if  an  idiot  or  a  wicked  man.     Thus  tar,  I  , 
suppose  we  understand  each  other.     There  is  but  one 
valuable  nobility— that  in   which  hereditary  rank  is 
founded  on  a  long  suc(!ession  of  glorious  deeds.     Such  is 
the  case  with  our  house.     It  has  been  an  historical  one, 
trunk  and  branches,  for  much  more  than  twelve  cen- 
turies.    Kings,  emperors,  claim  a  kindred  blood  with 
ours.     Our  name  is  indissolubly  bound  with  the  his- 
tory of  P^urope  and  iVsia,  and  the  annals  of  the  king- 
dom of  France,  in  particular,  may  be  said  to  be  the 
records  of  our  house.     We  have  long  ceased  to  count 
the  famous  knights,  the  high  constables,  the  marshals, 
generals,  and  other  great  men  who  have  sprung  from 
our  fruitful  race.     This  is  what  I  call  nobility.     To  this 
present  day,  none  of  that  race  has  ever  contracted  an 
alliance  which  was  not  of  an  illustrious  and  historical 
character.     It  is  a  principle,  nay  more,  Crozat,  it  is  a 
religion  with  us,  and  it  is  too  late  for  us  to  turn  apos- 
tates.    It  is  to  that  creed,  which  we  have  cherished 


i 


m 


HISTORY  OF  CROZAT. 


119 


■i'i'l 


from  time  immemorial,  that  we  are  indebted  for  what 
we  are.  If  once  untrue  to  ourselves,  theie  is  an  in- 
stinctive presentiment  which  te^ls  us  that  we  shall  be 
blasted  with  the  curse  of  hea\  en.  Eight  or  wrong,  it 
is  a  principle,  I  say ;  and  there  is  such  mysterious  vital- 
ity and  power  in  a  principle,  be  it  what  it  may,  that  if 
strictly  and  systematically  adhered  to  for  ages,  it  will 
work  wonders.  Therefore  the  traditions  of  our  house 
ir^ast  stand  unbroken  forever,  coeval  with  its  existence, 
:md  remain  imperishable  pyramids  of  our  faith  in  our 
own  worth. 

"  I  know  that  your  daughter,  whom  I  have  raised  in 
my  lap,  and  whose  transcendent  qualities  I  appreciate 
as  they  deserve,  would  be  the  best  of  wives,  and  bless 
my  son  with  earthly  bliss.  But,  Crozat,  those  of  my ' 
race  are  not  born  to  be  happy,  but  to  be  great.  This 
is  the  condition  of  their  existence.  They  do  not  marry 
for  themselves,  but  for  the  glorification  of  their  house. 
It  is  a  sacred  mission,  and  it  must  be  fulfilled.  Every 
animated  thing  in  the  creation  must  follow  the  bent  of 
its  nature.  The  wooing  dove  may  be  satisfied  with  the 
security  of  its  lot  in  the  verdant  foliage  of  the  forest, 
but  the  eagle  must  speed  to  the  sun,  even  if  he  be  con- 
sumed by  its  rays.  Such  being  the  fate  of  our  race,  a 
hard  one  in  many  resj)ects,  you  see,  my  dear  Crozat — 
and  I  say  so  with  deej)  regret  at  the  consequences  which 
you  anticipate,  not  however  without  a  hope  that  they 
may  be  averted — ^you  must  clearly  see  that  an  alliance 
between  our  families  is  an  impossibility.  It  would  be 
fatal  to  your  daughter,  who  would  be  scorched  by  as- 
cending. Phaeton-like,  into  a  sphere  not  calculated  for 
her ;  and  it  would  be  also  fatal  to  my  son,  who  would 
be  disgraced  for  his  being  recreant  to  his  ancestors  and 
to  his  posterity.  You  deserve  infinite  credit  for  having 
risen  to  the  summit  where  you  now  stand.     You  liave 


t    u 


A  a 


>MH\    I 


Tfl...-  I 


i|    . 


'*^'  HISTORY  OF  CROZAT, 

been  ennoLled,  and  you  are  one  of  the  greatest  raer* 
chants  of  the  age,  but  you  are  not  yet  a  Medici !     You 
have  not  forced  your  way,  like  that  family,  into  the 
ranks  of  the  potentates  of  the  earth.     If,  indeed— but 
why  talk  of  such  idle  dreams  ?     Adieu,  Crozat,  be  com- 
forted— be  of  good  cheer.— Things  may  not  be  as  bad 
as  you  think  for  your  daughter.     Her  present  attach- 
ment  not  being  encoui-aged,   she   may  in  time  form 
another  one.     Farewell,  my  friend,  put  your  faith  in 
God :  he  is  the  best  healer  of  the  wounds  of  the  heart !" 
Crozat  bowed  low  to  the  duchess,  whose  extended 
hand  he  kissed  reverentially,  and  he  withdrew  from 
the  chilling  frigidity  of  her  august  presence.     Crouch, 
mg  under  the  weight  of  his  misfortune,  and  under  the 
consciousness  of  the  invincible  and  immortal  pride  he 
had  to  deal  with,  he  tottered  to  his  solitary  room,  and 
sinking  into  a  large  gothic  chair,  buried  his  feverish 
head  into  his  convulsive  hands.     Hot  tears   ti'ickled 
through  the   contracted  fingers,  and   he   so})bed  and 
groaned  aloud,  when  he  recalled,  one  by  one,  all  the 
words  of  the  duchess,  as  they  slowly  fell  from  her  lips, 
burning  his  soul,  searing  his  l)rains,  filtering  thi-ough 
his  heai't  like  distilled  drops  of  liquid  fire.     Suddenly 
he  started  up  with  fierce  energy ;  his  face  was  lighted 
with  dauntless  resolution  :  he  ground  his  teeth,  clenched 
his  fist,  as  if  for  a  struggle,  .md  shook  it  in  defiance  of 
some  invisible  adversary,  while  ho  moved  on  with  ex- 
panded  chest  and  with  a  frame  dilating  into  the  ma- 
jesty of  some  imaginary  command.     "  O  Daughter,"  he 
exclaimed,  "  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  if  necessary,  I  will 
acc(miplish  impossibilities.     Did  7iot  the  proud  duchess 
say  that  if  I  wei-e  a  .A[(Mlici !  .  .  .  the  ruler  of  prov- 
inces  !— if  1  had  an  historical  name  ?    She  did  !  and  I 
know  that  she  would  keo])  her  woi-d.     Well  then  !  ye 
powers  of  heaven  or  hell,  that  helped  the  Medici,  I  bow 


m\ 


omam  of  his  charter. 


ISfl 


to  ye,  ana  call  ye  to  my  aid,  by  tlie  only  incantation 
which  I  know,  the  strong  magic  of  an  energetic  mind. 
I  invoke  your  assistance,  be  the  sacrifice  on  my  part 
what(>vcr  it  may:— I  will  sign  any  bond  ye  please— I 
will  set  my  all  on  the  cast  of  a  die— and  gamble  against 
fate.  My  daughter  is  the  stake,  and  death  to  her  and 
to  me  the  forfeit  1"  This  was  a  sinful  ebullition  of  pas- 
feion-— the  only  excuse  the  paroxysm  of  a  delirious 
mind.  But  still  it  was  impious,  and  his  protecting 
angel  averted  his  face  and  flew  upward.  Alas !  poor 
Ci'ozat ! 

Hence  the  origin  of  that  charter,  by  which  Louisiana 
was  ceded,  as  it  were,  to  Crozat.  He  flattered  himself 
with  the  hope  that,  if  successful  In  his  gigantic  enter- 
prise;, a  few  years  might  ripen  the  privileges  he  had 
obtained  into  the  concession  of  a  principality,  which  he 
would  form  in  the  New  World,  a  principality  which,  an 
a  gi-eat  feudatory  vassal,  he  would  hold  in  subjection  to 
the  crown  of  France.  Then  he  would  say  to  the  proud 
duchess,  « I  am  a  Medici.  My  name  outweighs  many 
a  haughty  one  in  the  scales  of  history :— my  nobility 
rests  not  only  on  title,  but  on  nol)le  deeds.  These 
were  your  words— I  hold  you  to  them—redeem  your 
pledge— one  of  your  blood  can  not  be  false— -I  claim 
your  son— I  give  him  a  princess  for  his  bride,  and  do- 
rnains  ten  times  broader  than  France,  or  any  kingdom 
in  Eun  )])(>,  for  her  dowry  !" 

Ho  hoped  the  heart  of  the  father— so  schemed  the 
head  of  the  great  merchant!  What  man  ever  had 
Btronger  m.^tives  to  fire  his  genius?  What  ambition 
more  sacred  and  more  deserving  of  reward  than  his  ? 
And  yet  none,  save  one,  guessed  at  the  motives  which 
actuated  him  !  Uv  was  taxed  with  being  insatiable  of 
wealth:  peo])le  wondered  ;it  his  gigantic  avidity. 
Some  there  were,  who  shrugged  their  shoulders,  and 


!■  ■■! 


.1   ;I 


.III 


t     n 


i  I.  '■ 


t  ''. 


122 


THE  HOPES  OP  CR02AT. 


tempti 


said  that  lie  was  tempting  late,  tiiat  it  was  time  for  fiim 
to  be  satisfied  with  what  he  had,  without  exposing  his 
present  wonderful  acquisitions  for  the  uncertainty  of  a 
greater  fortune.     Such  are  the  blind  judgments  of  the 
world  !     Crozat  was  blamed  for  being  too  ambitious, 
and  envy  railed  at  the  inordinate  avidity  of  the  rash 
adventurer,  when  pity  ought  to  have  wept  over  the 
miseries  of  the  broken-hearted  father.    On  the  dizzy 
eminence  whither  he  had  ascended,  Crozat,  when  he 
looked  round  for  sympathy,  was  met  by  the  basilisk 
stare  of  a  jealous,  cold-blooded  world,  wlio  stood  by 
calculating  his  chances  of  success,  and  grinning  in  an! 
ticipation   at   the    wished-for  failure  of  his  defeated 
schemes.     At  such  a  sight,  his  heart  sank  within  his 
breast,   and   elevating  his   hands,   clasped  in  prayer, 
"Angels  and  ministers  of  grace,"  he  said,  "ye  knov 
that  It  is  no  ambitious  cravings,  but  the  racked  feelings 
of  a  father,  that  urge  me  to  the    undertaking,  upon 
which  I  call  down  your  blessings.     Be  ye  my  friends 
and  protectors  in  heaven,  for  Crozat  has  none  oe  this 
earth." 


'M 


I 


FOURTH  LECTURE. 

Lamothb  Cadillac,  Governor  of  Louisiana — Situation  of  the  Colont  in  171S 
—Feud  between  Cadii.i.ao  and  Bienville — Character  of  Richebouro— 
First  Expedition  against  the  Natchez — De  l'Epinay  succeeds  Cadillac— 
The  Curate  dk  la  Vente — Expedition  of  St.  Denis  to  Mexico — His  Ad- 
Ventures— Jallot,  the  Surgeon — In  1717  Cbozat  gives  up  his  Charter— 
His  Death. 

When  Crozat  obtained  the  royal  charter,  granting 
tim  so  many  commercial  privileges  in  Louisiana,  the 
military  forces  which  were  in  the  colony,  and  which 
constituted  its  only  protection,  did  not  exceed  two 
companies  of  infantry  of  fifty  men  each.  There  were 
also  seventy-fiv^e  Canadians  in  the  pay  of  the  king,  and 
they  were  used  for  every  species  of  service.  The  bal- 
ance of  the  population  hardly  came  up  to  three  hundred 
souls,  and  that  population,  small  as  it  was,  and  almost 
imperceptible,  happened  to  be  scattered  over  a  bound- 
less territory,  where  they  could  not  communicate  to- 
gether without  innumerable  difficulties,  frightful  dan- 
gers, and  without  delays  which,  in  these  our  days  of 
rapid  locomotion,  can  scarcely  be  sufficiently  appreci- 
ated. As  to  the  blacks,  who  now  have  risen  to  such 
importance  in  our  social  polity,  they  did  not  numljer 
more  than  twenty  heads.  It  is  probable,  that  of  this 
scanty  po})ulation,  there  were  not  fifty  persons  in  the 
present  limits  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  the  con* 
trast,  which  now  presents  itself  to  the  mind,  affords  a 
rich  treat  to  the  imagination,  and  particularly  to  our 


"I     I 


■t 


i 


'}  i: 


124 


rORTS  CONSTRUCTED. 


national   pride,  since  we  were   the  wonder-worting 
power. 

The  possession  of  the  province  of  Louisiana,  if  pos- 
session it  can  be  called,  France  had  secured  by  the  con- 
struction of  five  forts.  They  were  located  at  Mobile,  at 
Biloxi,  Ship  Island,  Dauphine  Island,  and  on  the  bank 
of  the  Mississippi.  These  fortifications  were  of  a  very 
humble  nature,  and  their  materials  were  chiefly  com- 
posed of  stakes,  logs,  and  clay.  They  sufficed,  however, 
to  intimidate  the  Indians.  Such  were  the  paltry  results, 
after  fifteen  years,  of  the  attempt  made  by  a  powerful 
government  to  colonize  Louisiana  ;  and  now,  one  single 
man,  a  private  individual,  Wcos  daring  enough  to  grapple 
and  struggle  with  an  undertaking,  which,  so  far,  had 
proved  abortive  in  the  hands  of  the  great  Louis  the 

xivthr 

It  must  be  remembered  that  De  Muys,  who  had  been 
appointed  to  supersede  Bienville,  had  died  in  Havana  in 
1707,  and  that  the  youthful  founder  of  the  colony  had, 
by  that  event,  remained  Governor  ad  interim  of  Lou- 
isiana. But  on  the  17th  of  Maj^,  1713,  a  great  change 
had  come  over  the  face  of  things,  and  the  colonists 
stood  on  the  tiptoe  of  expectation,  when  they  Avere  in. 
formed  that  a  ship  had  arrived  with  Lamothe  Cadillac, 
as  Governor,  Ducks  as  Commissary  in  the  place  of 
D'Artaguette,  who  had  returned  to  France,  Lebas  as 
Comptroller,  Dirigoin  and  La  Loire  des  Urslns,  as  the 
agents  of  Crozat  in  the  colony.  Bienville  was  retained 
as  Lieutenant  Governor,  and  it  was  expected  that,  in 
that  subordinate  office,  he  would,  from  his  knowledge 
of  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  province,  be  of  signal  use 
to  his  successor,  and  be  a  willing  instrument,  which  the 
supposed  superior  alulities  of  Lamothe  Cadillac  would 
turn  to  some  goodly  purpose.  This  certainly  Ava-s  a 
compliment  paid  to  the  patriotism  of  Bienville,  but 

H 


li 
I 


I 


ARRIVAL  OF  LAMOTHE  CADILLAC. 


125 


was  it  not  disregarding  too  much  the  frailties  of  human 
nature  ?  Cheerfully  to  obey,  where  one  formerly  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  issue  the  word  of  command,  ia 
not  an  every-day  occurrence,  and  it  is  a  trial  to  which 
politic  heads  ought  not  to  expose  the  virtue  of  man. 

The  principal  instructions  given  by  Crozat  to  La* 
mothe  Cadillac  were,  that  he  should  diligently  look 
after  7nine-s\  and  endeavor  to  find  out  an  opening  for  the 
introduction  of  his  goods  and  merchandise  into  the 
Spanish  colonies  in  Mexico,  either  with  the  consent  of 
the  authorities,  or  without  it,  by  smuggling.  If  he 
succeeded  in  these  two  enterprises,  Crozat  calculated 
that  he  would  speedily  obtain  inexhaustible  wealth,  such 
wealth  as  would  enable  him  to  throw  a  large  popula-. 
tion  into  Louisiana,  as  it  were  l)y  magic,  and  to  realize 
the  fond  dreams  of  his  paternal  heart.  Impatient  of 
delay,  he  had,  in  order  to  stimulate  the  exertions  of 
Lamotlie  Cadillac,  secured  to  him  a  considerable  share 
in  the  profits  which  he  hoped  to  realize.  Lamothe  Ca- 
dillac had  fought  with  valor  in  Canada,  and  as  a  reward 
foi  his  services  (so,  at  least,  his  commission  declared), 
h:  1  been  appointed  by  the  king,  governor  of  Louisiana, 
iiad  Crozat  known  the  deficiencies  of  that  ofiicer's  in- 
tellect, he,  no  doubt,  would  have  strongly  remonstrated 
against  such  a  choice. 

Lamothe  Cadillac  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the 
Garonne,  in  the  province  of  Gascony.  in  France.  He 
was  of  an  ancient  family,  which  for  several  centuries, 
had,  by  some  fatality  or  other,  been  rapidly  sliding  down 
from  the  elevated  position  which  it  had  occupied. 
When  Lamothe  Cadillac  Avas  ushered  into  life,  the  do- 
mains of  his  ancestors  had,  for  many  past  generations, 
been  reduced  to  a  few  acres  of  land.  That  small 
estate  was  dignified,  however,  with  an  old  dilapidated 
edifice,  which  bore  the  name  of  castle^  although,  at  a 


I* 

i 


i  :  1  . 


I     I 


I 


•  14 

1 

.  't 

:H 

1 

1!    .! 

'i 

i 

126 


HIST0R7  OP  CADILLAO. 


I    i 


h''*'   :,' 


distance,  to  an  unprejudiced  eye,  it  presented  some  un- 
lucky  resemblance  to  a  barn.    A  solitary  tower  dressed, 
as  It  were,  in  a  gown  of  moss  and  ivy,  raised  its  gray 
head  to  a  height  which  might  have  been  called  respect- 
able, and  which  appeared  to  offer  special  attraction  to 
crows,  swallows,  and  bats.     Much  to  the  mortification 
of  the  present  owner,  it  had  been  called  by  the  young 
wags  of  the  neighborhood,  "  Cadillacs  Ilookery^'  and 
was  currently  known  under  this  ungenteel  appellation. 
Cadillac  had  received  a  provincial  and  domestic  educa- 
tion,  and  had,  to  his  twenty-fifth  year,  moved  in  a  very 
contracted  sphere.     Nay,  it  may  be  said  that  he  had 
almost  lived  in  solitude,  for  he  had  lost  both  his  parents, 
when  hardly  eighteen  summers  had  passed  over  his 
head,  and  he  had  since  kept  company  with  none  but 
the  old  tutor  to  whom  he  was  indebted  for  such  classi- 
cal  attainments  as  he  had  acquired.     His  mind  being 
as  much  curtailed  in  its  proportions,  as  his  patrimonial 
acres,  his  intellectual  vision  could  not  extend  very  far, 
and  if  Cadillac  was  not  literally  a  dunce,  it  was  well 
known  that  Cadillac's  wits  would  never  run  away  with 
him. 

^  Whether  it  was  owing  to  this  accidental  organiza- 
tion  ot  his  brain,  or  not,  certain  it  is  that  one  thing 
afforded  the  most  intense  delight  to  Cadillac  :— it  was, 
that  no  blood  so  refined  as  his  own  ran  in  the  veins  of 
any  other  human  being,  and  that  his  person  was  the 
very  incarnation  of  nobility.     With  such  a  conviction 
rooted  m  his  heart,  it  is  not  astonishing  thai  his  tall, 
thin,  and  emaciated  body  should  have  stiffened  itself 
into  the  most  accurate  observation  of  the  perpendicular. 
Indeed,  it  was  exceedingly  pleasant  and  exhilarating  to 
the  lungs,  to  see  Cadillac,  on  a  Sunday  morning,  strut- 
ting along  in  full  dress,  on  his  way  to  church,  throuo-h 
the  meager  village  attached  to  hia  hereditary  domain. 


b 


t 


HISTORY  OF  CADILLAC. 


127 


• 


His  bow  to  the  mayor  and  to  the  curate  was  something 
rare,  an  exquisite  burlesque  of  infinite  majesty,  thawing 
into  infinite  affiibility.     His  ponderous  wig,  the  curls  of 
which  spread  like  a  peacock's  tail,  seemed  to  be  alive 
with  conscious  pride  at  the  good  luck  it  had  of  cover- 
ing a  head  of  such  importance  to  the  human  race. 
His  eyes,  in  whose  favor  nature  had  been  pleased  to 
deviate  from  the  oval  into  the  round  shape,  were  pos- 
sessed with  a  stare  of  astonishment,  as  if  they  meant 
to  convey  the  expression  that  the  spirit  within  was  in 
a  trance  of  stupefaction  at  the  astounding  fact  that  the 
being  it  animated  did  not  produce  a  more  startling 
effect  upon  the  world.     The  physiognomy  which  I  am 
endeavoring  to  depict,  was  rendered  more  remarkable 
by  a  stout,  cocked  up,  snub  nose,  which  looked  as  if  it 
had  hurried  back,  in  a  fright,  from  the  lips,  to  squat  in 
rather  too  close  proximity  to  the  eyes,  and  which,  with 
its  dilated  nostrils,  seemed  always    on  the  point  of 
sneezing  at  something  thrusting  itself  between  the  wind 
and  its  nobility.     His  lips  woi-e  a  mocking  smile,  as  if 
sneering  at  the  strange  circumstance  that  a  Cadillac 
should  be  reduced  to  be  an  obscure,  penniless  individ- 
ual.    But,  if  Cadillac  had  his  weak  points,  it  must  also 
be  told  that  he  was  not  without  his  strong  ones.    Thus, 
he  had  a  great  deal  of  energy,  bordering,  it  is  true, 
upon  obstinacy ;— he  was  a  rigidly  moral  and  pious 
man ; — and  he  was  too  proud  not  to  be  valiant. 

With  a  mind  so  framed,  was  it  to  be  wondered  at 
that  Cadillac  deemed  it  a  paramount  duty  to  himself 
and  to  his  Maker,  not  to  allow  his  race  to  become  ex- 
tinct ?  Acting  under  a  keen  sense  of  this  duty,  and  im- 
pressed with  a  belief  that  he  might,  by  a  rich  alliance, 
restore  his  house  to  that  ancient  sj)lendor  which  he  con- 
sidered as  its  birthright,  Init  of  which  evil  tongues  said, 
that  it  was  indeed  so  truly  ancient,  that  it  had  lonu" 


:(f 


I 


:  ill.;; 

;.!l!l!( 

•'iNi 

6f-       ■ '  ■!■ 


I  lit 


128 


CADILLAC'S  MAimiAGE— APPOINTED  CAPTAiy. 


cejwed  to  lie  recorded  in  the  memory  of  man,  he,  one 
day,  issued  in  state  and  in  his  gayest  apparel,  from  liis 
feudal  tower,  and  for  miles  around,  paid  formal  visits  to 
all   the  wealthy  patricians  of  his  neighborhood.     lie 
W'js  everywhere  i-eceived  with  that  liigh-l)red  courte-  v, 
■wiiieh  those  of  that  class  extend  to  all,  and  particularly 
to  such  as  belong  to  their  own  ordei',  butli     \as  secretly 
voted  a  quiz.     After  a  few  months  of  inett'ectual  efforts, 
Cadillac  returned  to  his  pigeon-hole,  in  the  most  discon- 
solate mood ;  and,  after  a  year's  rejjining,  he  was  forced 
to  content  himself  with  the  hand  of  a  poor  s])inster,  who 
dwelt  in  a  neighboring  town,  whei-e,  like  Cadillac,  she 
lingered  in  all  the  pride  of  unsullied  descent  and  he- 
reditary poxerty.     Shortly  after  her  marriage,  the  lady, 
who  was  a  distant  relation  to  the  celebrated  Duki?  of 
Lauzun,  recommended  herself  and  her  husband  to  the 
patronage  of  that  nobleman,  Avho  wjls  then  one  of  the 
brightest  of  that  galaxy  of  stars  that  adorned  the  court  of 
Louis  the  XlVth.     Her  letter  wius  written  in  a  quaint, 
fantastic  style,  and  Lauzun,  who  received  it  on  his  way 
to  the  king's  morning  levee,  show^ed  it  to  the  monarch, 
and  AVius  ha])i)y  enough,  ])y  the  drollery  of  his  comments, 
to  force  a  smile  from  those  august  lips.     Availing  him- 
self of  that  smile,  Lauzun,  who  was  in  one  of  his  good  fits, 
for  the  kindness  of  his  nature  was  rather  problematical, 
and  the  result  of  accident  rather  than  of  disposition,  ob- 
tained for  his  poor  connection  the  ai)pointnient  of  cap- 
tain to  one  of  the  companies  of  infantry,  which  had  been 
ordered  to  Canada. 

The  recei)tion  of  this  favor,  with  a  congratulatory 
letter  from  Lauzun,  added  stilts  to  Cadillac's  ])omposity, 
and  his  few  dependents  and  vassals  became  really 
astounded  at  the  sublimity  of  his  attitudes.  On  that 
occasion,  the  increased  grandeur  of  his  habitual  car- 
riage was  but  the  translation  of  the  magnificence  of 


i 


If 


^W'K 


i 


P 


CADILLAC  IN  CANADA. 


129 


his  coo^tations.  TTe  liud  lu^ai-d  of  tlus  exploits  of  Cortez 
and  PizaiTo,  and  he  came  to  tlie  lo<jcical  conclusion,  in 
hin  own  mind,  tliat  Canada  would  be  as  gloriouH  a  field 
m  Teni  or  Mexico,  and  that  he  wouhl  at  least  rival 
the  achievements  of  the  Spanish  heroes.  Fame  and 
wealtli  were  at  las^,  within  his  .i^rasp,  and  the  lon,i^- 
eclipsed  star  of  tlie  Cadillacs  would  again  bhwe  out 
with  renewed  luster ! 

The  dreams  of  Cadillac  were  soon  put  to  flight  by  sad 
realities,  when  he  landed  in  Canada,  where  liardshii)s  of 
every  kind  assailed  him.     Tiie  snows  and  bhist.s  of  Si- 
berian winters,  tlic  heat  of  summers  equal  to  those  of 
Afi'ica,   endless  marches   and   counter-marches  after  a 
wary  and  perfidious  enemy,  visi}>le  only  when  he  could 
attack  Avith  tenfold  chances  in  his  favor,  the  sniferin,"^ 
of  hunger  and  thirst  which  Avere  among  the  ordinary 
privations  of  his  every-day  life,  the  wants  of  civilization 
so  keenly  felt  amid  all  the  destitution  of  savage  exist- 
ence, days  of  b(idily  and  mental  labor,  and  nights  of 
anxious  vigil,  lialr-breadth  escapes  on  Avater  and  on  land, 
the  ever-recuriing  danger  of  being  tomahawked  and 
scalped,  the  Avar-whoops  and  incessant  attacks  of  the  In- 
tlians,  the  honora1)le  distinctions  of  Avonnds  and  of  a 
broken  constitution  in  the  serA^ce  of  his  country — these 
Avere  the  concomitants  and  the  results  of  Cadillac's  ca- 
reer in  Canada  during  twenty  years  !     All  this  Cadillac 
had  supported  Avitli  remarkable  foi-titude,  although  not 
Avithout  impatience,  Avonderiug  all  the  time  that  some- 
thing or  other  did  not  hapixn  to  make  him  Avhat  he 
thought  nature  and  his  birth  intended  and  entitled  him 
to  be — a  great  man ! 

^  But  tAventy  years  had  elapsed,  and  at  their  expira- 
tion, he  found  himself  no  better  than  a  lieutenant-colo- 
nel. To  increase  his  vexatit)n,  he  had  no  other  issue  by 
his  marriage  than  a  daughter,  now  eighteen  years  of  a^e 


( 

1 

f 

I'l 


<i  il 


f.'\     • 


f 


i. 


Ip'lli! 
1'^ 


130 


CADILLAC  IN  CANADA. 


and  thus  lie  remained  without  tlie  pro,sj)ect  of  having 
an  heir  to  continue  his  line,  and  to  hear  his  noble  name. 
The  disappointment  of  his  hopi-s  in  this  respect  was  the 
keenest  of  all  his  afHicti<ms;  he  was  a})pro;iching  the 
trying  climacteric  of  fifty-four,  and  he  was  as  poor  an 
when  he  departi^d  from  th(!  hanks  of  the  (Jaronne.  A 
lieuteiiant-coloiit'l  he  was,  and  would  remain,  in  all  prob- 
ability.  His  sup(U-ior  ollic(!r  seemed  to  be  marvclously 
t<!nacious  of  his  p()st  and  of  life,  and  would  neither  die 
nor  advance  one  step  beyond  his  grade:  bullets  spai'ed 
him,  and  ministers  never  thought  of  his  j)romotion. 
Thus  it  was  clear,  from  all  aj)i)earances,  that  Cadillac 
was  not  'n  a  position  sckmi  to  become  a  marshal  of 
France,  and  that  Canada  was  not  the  land  where  ho 
could  acquire  that  wealth  he  was  so  ambitious  of,  tt)en- 
fihi'ine  his  old  gray-headed  tow(!r,  as  a  curious  relic  of 
the  feudal  power  of  his  ancestry,  within  tlie  spleuilid 
architecture  of  a  new  palace,  and  to  revive  the  glorie-s 
of  his  race.  ITence  he  had  imbibed  the  most  intense 
contempt  tor  the  barren  countiy  where  so  much  of  his 
life  had  been  spent  in  vain,  an«l  he  would  sneer  at  the 
ap}x>llationof  iV<<«>  /Oyw^y^ given  to  Canada;  he  thought 
it  wjis  a  disparagement  to  the  Ixiautiful  and  noble  king- 
dom of  which  he  boasted  to  b(!  a  native,  and  he  fre- 
quently annisiHl  his  brother  ofiicers  with  his  indignation 
on  this  subject.  "  This  world  may  revolv^e  on  its  axis  to 
all  eternity,"  he  would  say,  "  and  Canada  will  no  more 
be  made  to  resemble  France,  than  a  dwarf  will  ever  be 
the  pei'souification  of  a  giant !"  This  wiis  a  favoiite 
phrase  with  which  he  loved  to  close  his  complaints 
against  the  object  of  his  abomination,  whenever  he  was 
betrayed  into  an  ex])ression  of  his  feelings;  for  of  late, 
lie  had  become  silent  and  moody,  and  only  talked  when 
•he  could  not  do  otherwise.  It  was  evident  that  his  mind 
was  wrapped  up  within  itself,  and  absorbed  in  the  solu- 


"  n 


CADILLAC  QOVERNOR  OF  LOUISIANA. 


131 


tion  of  sorno  problem,  or  tho  contemplation  of  a  auLject 
wliit'h  taxed  nil  its  ])()vv(!rs  of  thons^ht.  What  (ronid  it 
be?  Hut  at  last  it  was  discovered  that  the  ol.ject  of 
CadiHac's  ahsti-ac-ted  cogitations  was  the  coiiHtaiit  blast- 
ing of  all  his  Ijopes,  in  spit(;  of  his  ini<,dity  (efforts  to  re- 
a\ue  them.  So  strans^e  did  it  appear  to  him,  that  he 
couhl  come  to  no  other  conclusion  than  that,  if  he  liad 
not  risen  hi,L,du'r  on  tlu;  stage  of  life,  it  was  necessarily 
because  he  was  .s'pdirhomul. 

Cadillac,  since  his  arrival  in  Caruida,  had  kept  up, 
with  the  great  connection  he  had  accjuired  by  his  mar- 
riage, tlu^  I)uk(!  of  Lan/un,  a  regular  cornispondence,  in 
which,  to  the  infinite  glee  of  that  nobleman,  he  used  to 
enumerate  his  numifold  mishaps.  Now,  acting  under 
the  impression  that  \w.  was  decidedly  the  victim  of  fate 
or  witchci-aft,  \\v.  wrote  to  Lauzun  a  h)ng  letter,  in  which 
he  surpassed  himself  in  his  bombjistic  style,  and  out- 
heroiling  Herod,  poured  out  on  paper,  in  incoherent 
declamations,  the  vexed  spirit  whi(di  aihul  him,  and  cut 
such  antics  in  Mack  and  white,  that  Lauzun,  on  the  pe- 
rusal of  this  epistolatory  elegy,  laughed  himself  into 
tears,  and  /tlmost  screamed  with  delight.  It  happened, 
at  that  time,  that  the  ministiy  was  in  search  of  a  gov- 
ernor for  Louisiana,  and  the  mischievous  Lauzun,  who 
thought  that  the  rnoic  he  exalted  Cadillac,  the  greater 
source  of  merriment  \\(\  pref)ared  for  himself,  had  suffi- 
cient ]K)wer  1o  have  him  appointed  to  that  office.  This 
profligate'  nol)leman  never  ti-onbled  his  wits  about  what 
would  become  of  Louisiana  under  such  an  administra- 
tion. Provided  he  found  out  a  fit  theater,  and  had  it 
properly  illuminated,  to  enjoy,  at  his  esise,  the  buffoon- 
eries of  a  favorite  actvu',  what  carcid  he  for  the  rest  ? 

Before  taking  possession  of  his  government,  Cadillac 
went  to  France  to  receive  the  instructions  of  the  minis- 
try, and  to  visit  his  paternal  domain.     His  return  pro- 


132 


CADILLAC  VISITS  HIS  BIRTHPLACE. 


.1    I 


duced  no  sligJit  sensation  within  a  radius  of  fuviy  miles 
round  Lis  so  lonj,^-deserte(l  lieartli.     If  tlie  wag'oisli  boys 
who  used  to  torment  him  witli  their  pranks  had  grown 
into  manhood,  tradition  had  handed  down  so  much  of 
Cadillac's  j)eculiarities  to  their  successors,  tliat  when  he 
appeared  hefoi-e  them,  it  Avas  not  as  a  stranger,  ])ut  rather 
as  an  old  acquaintance.     Dressed  in  the  fashion  which 
prevailed  at  th(  time  he  left  his  native  pro\-ince,  twenty 
years  befoi-e,  and  which  at  present  helped  t«.  set  otf  with 
more  striking  effect  the  oddities  of  his  l)ody  and  mind, 
he  was,  aa  before,  an  object  of  i)eculiar  attraction  to  the 
mischievous  propensities  of  the  juvciiiility  of  his  neigh- 
borhood.    Onci  of  them,  still  fresh  from  the  university, 
where  he  had  won  academical  honors,  availing  himself, 
in  order  to  disj)lay  the  powders  of  his  muse,  of  Cadillac's 
reap})earance  at  home,  composed  a  ballad  which  he 
called  ''llie  Jietani  of  the  Iroquois  Chief,''  and  which 
was  a  parody  of  a  celel)rated  one,  well  known  as  ''The 
Knights  lietnrn  from  I^alestineP     It  met  Avith  great 
success,  and  was  sung  more  than  once  under  I  he  Gothic 
windows  of  Cadillac's  tower.     But  he  listened  to  the 
sarcastic  composition  with  a  smile  of  ineffalde  contempt. 
"  Let  tliem  laugh  at  my  past  misfortunes,"  \o  would  say 
to  himself;  "tlie  future  Avill  avenge  my  wrongs,  and  my 
enemies  Avill  be  jaundiced  Avith  the  bile  of  envy.     I  am 
now   governor  of  Louisiana,  of  that  favored  land,  of 
which  so  many  Avonders  are  related.     This  is  no  longer 
the  frozen  climate  of  Canada,  but  a  genial  region,  Avhich, 
from  its  contiguity,  must  be  akin  to  that  of  Mexico, 
where  the  hot  rays  of  tlie  sun  make  the  earth  teem  Avith 
gold,  diamonds,  and  rubies !"     Working  himself  into  a 
paroxysm  of  frenzied  excitement,  he  struck  i)assionately, 
with  the  palm  of  his  hand,  the  AA^all  of  the  room  he  Aviw 
pacing  to  and  tro,  and  exclaimed,  "O  venerable  ])ile, 
which  derision  culls  Cadillac's  Moohery,  1  will  yet  make 


I 


ti 


CADILLAC'S  FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  OF  LOUISIANA.  1331 

thee  a  tower  of  strength  and  glory !  I  will  gild  each  of 
thy  moss-coated  stones,  and  thou  shalt  l)e  a  tabernacle  for 
men  to  wonder  at  and  to  worship !"  As  he  spoke,  his 
eyes  became  suffused  with  tears,  and  there  was  so  much 
feeling  and  pathos  in  his  action,  and  in  the  expression 
of  his  as])irations,  that,  for  t\w.  first  time  in  his  life,  not 
only  he  momentarily  ceased  to  he  ridiculous,  but,  to  one 
who  had  seen  him  then,  would  have  appeared  not  des- 
titute of  a  certain  degree  of  dignity,  and  perhaps  not 
unworthy  of  respectful  syrapatliy.  Such  is  the  magic 
of  deep  sentiment ! 

When  Cadillac  landed  on  the  bleak  shore  of  Dau- 
phine  or  Massacre  Island,  what  he  saw  was  very  far 
from  answering  his  expectations.  From  the  altitude  of 
flight  to  Avhich  his  imagination  had  risen,  it  is  easy  to 
judge  of  the  rapidity  of  its  precipitate  descent.  The 
shock  received  from  its  sudden  fall,  was  such  as  to  pro- 
duce a  distraction  of  the  mind,  bordering  on  absolute 
madness.  As  soon  as  Cadillac  recovered  from  the  be- 
wildered state  of  astonishment  into  which  he  had  been 
thrown,  he  s(Mit  to  the  minister  of  the  marine  depart- 
ment a  descri])tion  of  the  country,  of  which  I  shall  only 
give  this  short  abstract:  "Tiie  wealth  of  Dauphine 
Island,"  said  he,  "  consists  of  a  score  of  fig-trees,  three 
wild  pear-trees,  and  three  apple-trees  of  the  same  na- 
ture, a  dwarfish  plum-ti-ee,  three  feet  high,  with  seven 
bad-looking  plums,  thirty  plants  of  vine,  with  nine 
bunches  of  half-rotten  and  half-di-ied-up  grapes,  forty 
stands  of  French  melons,  and  sdme  pumpkins.  This  Is 
the  terrestrial  paradise  of  which  we  had  heard  so  much ! 
Nothing  but  faldes  and  lies  !" 

It  will  be  recollected  that  I.amothe  Cadillac  had 
arrived  on  the  13th  of  May.  H?  had  since  been  ex- 
ploring the  country,  and  with  his  usual  sagacity,  he 
passed  this  remarkable  judgment  on  Lower  Louisiana: 


liK!    n 


I 


1  i. 
"  'I    11 


i"ii.i 


'K-siii- 


i 


'! 

i 

:  I 
1    ■' 

r! 

i 
! 

i ! 

! 

! 

1         1 

!        5 

if    I 


134 


CADILLAC'S  QUARRELS. 


"ITiis  is  a  very  wretched  country,  good  for  nothing, 
and  incapable  of  producing  either  tobacco,  wheat,  or 
vegetables,  even  as  high  as  Natchez."  It  is  fortunate 
that  from  this  oracular  decision  there  has  been  an  ap- 
peal, and  we  now  know  whether  it  has  been  confirmed 
or  annulled. 

The  1st  of  January,  1714,  had  come  in  due  time,  and 
Cadillac  had  not  allowed  his  unfavorable  opinions  of 
Louisiana  to  depart  with  the  expiring  year,  if  we  may 
judge  from  the  dispatch  in  which  he  said :  "  The  inhab- 
itants are  no  better  than  the  country;  they  are  the 
very  scum  and  refuse  of  Canada,  ruffians,  who  have 
thus  far  cheated  the  gibbet  of  its  due,  vagabonds,  who 
are  without  subordination  to  the  laws,  without  any  re- 
spect for  religion  or  for  the  government,  graceless  |)rof- 
ligates,  who  are  so  steeped  in  vice  that  they  pi-efer  the 
Indian  females  to  French  women  !  How  can  I  find  a 
remedy  for  such  evils,  when  his  Majesty  instructs  me 
to  behave  with  extreme  lenity,  and  in  such  a  manner 
as  not  to  provoke  complaints  !  But  what  shall  I  say 
of  the  troops,  who  are  without  discii)line,  and  scattered 
among  the  Indians,  at  Avhose  expense  they  subsist?" 
Cadillac  went  on  in  this  strain,  in  no  sparing  style,  and 
summed  up  the  Avhole  with  this  sweeping  declaration: 
"  The  colony  is  not  worth  a  straw  for  the  moment ;  but 
I  shall  endeavor  to  make  something  of  it,  if  God  grants 
me  health." 

God  granted  the  worthy  governor  as  robust  health  as 
he  could  have  wished,  ]jut  without  enabling  him  to  re- 
deem his  Avord,  with  regard  to  bettering  the  condition 
of  the  colony;  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  year  1714 
Cadillac  found  out  tliat  his  situation,  as  an  administrator, 
was  far  from  being  an  enviable  one,  lie  had  <piarreled 
with  Dirigoin,  one  of  Crozat's  agents,  because,  if  we  take 
his  representations  as  true,  that  agent  was  a  fool ;  and 


DISSENSIONS  IN  THE  COLONY. 


135 


with  the  comptroller,  Lehas,  because  he,  Lebas,  was  dia- 
Bipated ;  with  the  inhabitants,  because  they  were  dia- 
fiolute  and  had  hitherto  refused  to  build  a  church, 
which  was  a  thing  not  yet  to  be  found  in  the  whole 
colony ;  with  the  soldiers,  because  they  were  without 
discipline ;  with  the  officers,  and  particularly  with  Bien- 
ville, Boisbriant,  Chateaugue,  and  Serigny,  because  they 
neglected  to  apply  for  the  holy  sacrament,  even  at  Eas- 
ter ;  with  the  commissary,  Duclos,  because  the  views  of 
that  dignitary  had  differed  from  his  own  on  moi'e  than 
one  occasion ;  with  Richebourg,  a  captain  of  dragoons, 
who  had  come  with  him  in  a  ship  of  the  line,  because 
that  officer  had  seduced  most  of  the  girls  who  had  em- 
barked witli  them  for  Louisiana,  and  who  ought  to  have 
been  res})ectcd  ;  with  the  girls  themselves,  because  they 
had  SLifl'cred  their  virtue  to  be  seduced,  which  was  the 
cause  of  tlieir  remaining  on  his  hands,  inasmuch  as  every 
one  refused  to  marry  them  on  account  of  their  own  mis- 
conduct. Is  it  astonishing  that,  under  such  untoward 
circumstances,  Cadillac's  displeasure  at  his  situation 
should  have  swelled  into  such  gigantic  proportions  as  to 
induce  him  to  allow  his  gathering  indignation  to  em- 
brace the  whole  of  i\nu'rica  within  the  scope  of  his  ani- 
madversion ?  Is  it  not  to  be  supposed  that  his  under- 
standing must  have  l)eon  a  little  confused  by  his  perplex- 
ities, when  he  w  rote  to  the  ministry — "  Believe  me,  this 
whole  continent  is  not  worth  having,  and  our  colonists 
are  so  dissatisfied  that  they  are  all  disposed  to  run  away  ?" 
The  feud  between  the  magnates  of  the  land  grew 
every  day  more  fierce,  and  tlie  colony  presented  the 
aspect  of  two  hostile  camps,  Trojans  and  Greeks,  tug- 
ging in  irreconcilable  enmity.  On  one  side,  there  was 
the  governor  who  was  the  Agamemnon  of  his  party, 
and  who  was  backed  by  Marigny  de  Mandevil]{>,  Bagot, 
Bloudel,  Latour,  Villiers,  and  Terrine,  scions  of  noble 


'I 


M 

1 
'1 

"1 

■1 

'M 


m 

nil 


ino 


DISHKNHIONH  IN  TJfR  OOLONT. 


houses,  uikI  all  of  Ihcm  y<""<.^'  ''"iid  l)rilll)iiil  oflicci-s,  vlio 
would  li.'ivc  joined  ill  any  sfiilr   merely  lor  (lie  sake  of 
cx«-i<euienl.     The  lanalie  ('uial(>   de  la  Vetife  was  tlieir 
('Ml«'lia.s,  and  stimulated   lliem    (o  llie  eoiitest.     On   tint 
oiher   side    stood    Iiieut('n;int-( Jovernor    iiienville,    tho 
Ilei'toi- of  the  opposition,  witji  the   kinjj^'s  eommissary 
Duelos,  Hoishriant,  Chate.iui^nuS  Uiehel.ouix,  Dii  Tisiio, 
S(Mii;ny,  and  others  of  some  note  or  inlluenee,  who  wero 
at    lejist    I'ully  a  match  lor  tlu'ir  anta-j^onists.     Thus,  on 
tliis  sinall  theater,  the  human   passions  \ver<»  as  keeidy 
n<.  work,   and   thei-(>  was  as   hot   a  stru<;i;le  lor  petty 
power,  as  if  the  st.ii^v  lor  their  display  had  heen  a  nioro 
elevated  «>n(\  ;ind  the  ohjeets  of  »'onl(>ntion  more  exeit- 
iuix  t  ^  andtition. 

l^'om  (he  annals  oi'  the  Dntcli  seltl(>ments  of  Now 
^^>rk,  or  rather  from  the  o\ crllowini;-  riehness  of  \m 
own  imagination,  whii-h,  to  he  prolilie,  Inul  only  to 
alight  on  and  to  lu«  eonnect(>d  with  a.  1a.voi'ite  sid>jeet, 
Washington  Irviiio-  dri>w  those  humorous  sketches, 
which  lirst  L;ave  eeh>l)rity  to  his  mime.  Rut  in  the 
ear!\  history  o['  Loni-^inna,  whii-h  has  nothing-  to  bor- 
row tVom  the  lields  of  li^'tion,  there  spriiii;-  u|)  eharai't(>r.s 
and  ineid(>nts,  tVauuht  with  as  nnieh  oriyinalit v,  and 
tin^vd  with  as  mueh  ronianee,  as  any  so  lelieitouslv  d*>- 
soril»«'d  \)\  him  in  his  prodiietions,  oi-  Ity  othei- ant  hoi's 
ill  any  work  oi'  faney.  What  wrilt'r  eould  preten<!,  in 
his  most  whimsi('al  ei'eations,  to  pi-odiiee  a  hein^;-  mort^ 
f;uitas(ie;d  than  l.amothe  (\adillae^  What  powers  of 
lUNtMition  eould  mateli  his  styl(>  and  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  his  letters^  |?ut  let  ;is  follow  the  erratie 
et>urse  pursued  Uy  (his  tH'etMiti'ie  persona«^<». 

lie  had  eonu'  to  Louisiana  to  a.'ipiire  sudden  wealtli 
h\  (he  iliseovery  oi'  miius.  and  not  to  superintend  and 
foster  the  slow  and  tedious  |)roirress  of  eivili/atioii. 
Ilenee,  it  is  not  io  be  Mondertnl  at,  that,  on  his  reeeiv- 


m 


* 


CADILLAC  NKOLECTS  ITS  INTERKHTH. 


137 


!i 


iiii,'',  oTK^  (liiy,  positive  orders  to  assist  the  accents  of  Cro- 
/iit  in  cstahlisliiiii^'  Irudiiii,'  wsttleiiumtH  or  j)osts  on  the 
Wiihash  and  on  th(!  Illinois,  hv.  i^ot  ont  of  iiunior,  and 
in  a  fit  ol'  iini)ati(^n(M',  had  tlu^  hardiliood  to  write  hack 
to  th(!  ministry,  in  these  terms:  "I  liave  seem  Crozat'.s 
instructions  to  Ids  a_i,'(aits.  J  thought  tlu^y  issued  from 
a  hniatic  asyhun,  and  ther(j  a])|)eai-ed  to  me  to  bci  no 
more  sense  in  them  than  in  tlu^  Apocalypse',  Wliat! 
Is  it  (^\l)(H•te(l  that,  for  any  commercial  or  ])rolitable 
])niposes,  l)oats  will  ev(ir  he  ahhi  to  run  up  the  Missis- 
yil»pi,  into  tln^  Wahash,  the  Missouri,  or  tlui  Ked  lliver? 
Om;  mi^ht  as  well  try  (tj  liiln  <i  ■slice,  oj)-'  the  moon.  !  Not 
oidy  ari^  these  riv(frs  as  rai)id  as  the  Iviione,  hut  in  their 
crooked  course,  they  imitate  to  perfection  a  snakfi'a 
undulations.  Ih^nce,  lor  instanci;,  on  every  turn  of  tlie 
Mississip|)i,  it  would  \n\  necessary  to  wait  I'or  a  change 
of  wind,  if  wind  could  1)e  had,  l)eeaus(f  this  river  is  so 
lined  up  with  thick  woods,  that  very  little  wind  has 
access  to  its  l)ed." 

As  to  the  ministerial  e\])ectations  that  he  should 
devote  most  of  his  time  to  favoring  agi'icnltural  ))ur- 
esuits  among  the  colonists,  Cadillac  took  it  in  high  dud- 
geon, that  such  recomnu'udatioiis  shoidd  e\er  he  ad- 
dressed (o  him,  as  if  he  had  not  something  better  to 
J><<t'iid  lo  -the  discovery  of  gold,  diamonds  and  pearls  I 
To  trouble  himself  about  concedinijr  and  locatinir  lands 
was  a  thing  cout-erniiig  which  he  nevei-  admitted  the 
[lossibility  of  his  licing  seriously  em])loyed,  and  he 
treated  the  matter  very  lightly  in  one  of  his  dis|)atches, 
in  which  he  said  to  the  ministry,  "(Jiv(!  the  colonists  as 
much  ImiuI  as  they  please.  \Vhy  stint  the  measure? 
The  laiuls  are  so  bad  that  there  is  no  necessity  to  care 
for  the  nund)er  of  acres.  A  copious  distribution  of 
them  would  be  cheap  liberality." 

'J'hus,  agriculture  and  commerce  had  failed  to  enmio-G 

O      C7 


\   I' 


M 


I 


Il  I 


»i  f 

, 

u 


'Wfii- 


i 

ill 

1 

! 

} 

ill.  . 

immu  , 

HIi   ' 

r 

P 

i     1,       i' 
1      1 

139 


CADILLAC  ENDEAVORS  TO  DISCOVER  MINES, 


the  sympathies  of  Cadillac,  who,  since  the  first  clay  he 
landed  in  Louisiana,  had  ]»ent  all  his  energies  and  all 
the  means  at  his  command,  toward  the  discovery  of 
mines.  lie  had  sent  Canadians  in  every  direction  to 
explore  for  the  hidden  treasures  of  the  earth,  but 
months  had  elapsed  without  gratifyiii<7  +he  cravings  of 
Cadillac's  appetite  for  gold.     Some     ■  Canadians 

had  been  killed  by  the  Indians: — othe.  ■  -Hind  so  much 
amusement  in  their  favorite  avocations  of  fishing  and 
hunting,  that  they  forgot  the  duties  imposed  upon 
them,  and  for  the  discharge  of  which  they  were  paid  :— 
there  were  more  than  one  who,  having  gone  so  far  as 
the  Illinois  and  the  Missouri,  suddenly  bethought  them- 
selves of  some  love-sick  maid,  some  doting  mother  or 
aged  father,  whom  they  had  t  pining  on  the  banks 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  instead  of  returning  down  the 
Mississi])pi,  to  give  to  Cadillac  an  account  of  their  mis- 
sion, they  pursued  their  way  up  to  their  native  villages. 
It  must  be  confessed  that  all  were  little  competent  and 
too  ignorant  to  investigate  properly  the  object  of  their 
inquiries.  The  few  avIio  came  back  had  but  "a  beg- 
garly account  of  empty  boxes"  to  lay  before  Cadillac. 
But  if  he  had  been  favored  with  a  romantic  turn  of 
mind,  he  would  have  found  some  indemnification  in  the 
recital  of  their  marvelous  adventures. 

Cadillac  came  at  hist  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was 
in  a  sorry  predicament.  Sancho,  when  assailed  with 
the  cares  of  his  insular  government,  never  felt  the  tenth 
part  of  his  emliarrassment.  So  much  so,  that  Cadillac 
deeply  regretted  that  he  could  not  be  forever  asleep ; 
because,  when  awake,  he  could  not  but  be  aware  that 
he  had  spent  all  the  funds  he  could  command,  and  had 
no  more  left  to  consecrate  to  his  favorite  scheme.  The 
sad  reality  stared  hiui  in  the  face: — his  purse  was 
empty,  and  his  Canadians  were  gone=     But  when  he 


4 


II 


4 


EMBARRASSMENTS  OF  THE  GOVERNOR. 


139 


was  asleep,  his  dreams  beggared  the  wonders  of  the 
Ara})ian  Nights.  Then  Queen  Mab  wouhi  drive,  four 
in  hand,  her  tiny  cobweb  cari'iage  tli rough  his  brain: 
some  merry  elf  of  her  court  would  tickle  his  nose  Avith 
a  feather  from  a  humming-bird's  tail,  and  instantly 
Cadillac  would  see  a  thousand  fairy  miners,  extracting 
from  the  boAvels  of  the  eai'th  and  heaping  upon  its  sur- 
face enormous  piles  of  gold  and  silver,  having  a  fantas- 
tic resemblance  to  those  Indian  mounds  which,  in  our 
days,  make  such  strong  appeals  to  our  curiosity.  Heat- 
ed by  those  visions,  Cadillac  acUlressed  himself  to  Du- 
clos,  the  king's  commissary,  for  more  funds  to  ])rosecute 
his  researches  after  the  precious  metals  for  which  he 
thirsted.  Duclos  replied  that  the  treasury  had  })een 
pumped  dry.  "  Borrow,"  answered  Cadillac.  "  I  can 
not,"  observed  Duclos.  "  Well,  then  !"  said  the  gover- 
nor very  pithily,  "what  is  the  use  of  your  being  a 
financier,  if  you  can  not  raise  money  ])y  borrowing,  and 
what  is  the  use  of  my  being  a  governor,  if  I  have  no 
funds  to  carry  on  the  purposes  of  my  government !" 

Low  did  Cadillac  hang  his  head,  in  spite  of  all  his 
pride,  when  he  found  himself  so  cramj)ed  up  in  his 
operations.  But  it  would  require  a  more  powerful  pen 
than  mine  to  describe  his  indignation,  when  Duclos,  the 
king's  commissary,  requested  liim  to  render  his  accounts 
for  all  the  funds  which  had  been  ])ut  in  his  hands,  and 
for  all  the  goods  and  trinkets  which  had  been  delivered 
to  him  for  distribution  among  the  Indians.  It  was 
long  l)efore  hr  could  be  made  to  understand  what  was 
expected  from  him,  so  strange  and  unnatural  to  him  did 
such  a  2wetensioi\  as  Cadillac  called  it,  really  seem  on 
the  part  of  the  commissary.  Thei'e  was  to  him  some- 
thing stupendous  in  the  idea  that  there  should  ever  be 
the  possibility  <'f  any  such  event  hap]>ening,  as  that  of 
ft  commissary  calling  upon  1dm ^  Cadillac,  the  noblest 


m 


i  '  ■    -^    >| 


^ 


Wfi 


140 


THE  OOVERNOR'a  TROUBLES  INCREASE 


amonj^  the  noble,  A//;?-,  the  governor,  Jum,  the  repre* 
sentiitive  of  the  Lord's  anolnteil,  to  furnish  his  accounts, 
just  in  the  same  way  that  sucli  a  call  might  have  been 
made  upon  any  ordinary  biped  of  the  human  species. 
Was  not  such  a  pretension  the  forerunnei-  of  some  ex- 
traoi'dinary  convulsion  of  nature^  Be  it  as  it  may, 
Cadillac  immediately  wrote  to  the  ministry  to  inform 
them  of  this  astounding  fact,  which,  in  his  o])inion,  was 
a  demonsti-ation  of  the  wild  notions  that  had  crept  into 
the  colony.  Evidently,  the  commissary  was  "non 
com|)os  mentis !" 

The  tribulations  of  Cadillac  were  destined  to  })ursue 
a  jirogressive  course,  and  he  was  hardly  out  of  one 
difliculty,  when  another  and  still  another  came  in  quick 
succession,  like  the  ghosts  that  haunted  Macbeth.  To 
increase  his  pei'plexities,  the  troops  refused  to  go 
thi'ough  all  the  duties  of  their  regular  service,  on  the 
ground  that  they  had  nothing  to  eat  but  corn,  when 
they  were  entitled  to  wheat  bread.  "  A  deputation  of 
twenty  of  them,"  said  Cadillac,  in  his  comnumications 
to  the  ministry,  "  had  the  impu<lence  to  address  me  on 
the  suljject.  I  immediately  sent  the  spokesman  to 
prison,  and  having  convened  the  officers,  1  told  them 
that  the  troops  in  Canada  were  satisfied  with  corn  for 
their  food,  that  those  in  Louisiana  had,  jis  I  had  been 
informed,  lived  on  it  three  years,  and  that  I  saw  no 
reason  why  they  should  not  continue.  None  of  the 
officers  dissented  from  me,  except  the  commissary,  who 
expressed  a  different  o})inion,  which  he  supported  with 
the  most  puerile  reasoning :  but  I  chid  him  and  gave 
him  a  good  ra|)ping  on  the  knuckles." 

The  spirit  of  discontent  was  not  confined  to  the 
soldiery,  but  had  spread  through  the  minds  of  the 
colonists  themselves.  "  They  have  dared  to  meet  with- 
out my  permission,"  said  he,  in  another  dispatch,  "  and 


^1 


HE    .EFUSE3  TO  EXPEL  LOOSE  WOM'iN. 


141 


to  frame  a  petition  to  demiind  that  all  nations  hIiouIcI 
he  permitted  to  trade  freely  with  the  colony,  and  that 
the  inlial)itaius  should  have  the  right  to  move  out  of  this 
[)rovince,  according  to  their  jjleasure.  Freedom  of 
trade,  and  freedom  of  action ! — a  pretty  thing !  What 
would  become  of  Crozat's  privileges?  The  colonists 
also  insist  on  CrozatV  monoj)oly  of  tra<le  being  confined 
to  the  wholesale  disposition  of  his  goods  and  merchan- 
dise. They  pretend  that  he  should  in  no  case  be  allowed 
to  retail  his  goods,  and  that  his  gains  should  be  limited 
to  fifty  per  cent,  on  the  original  cost.  Their  petition 
contains  several  other  demands  equally  alxsurd.  In 
order  to  cut  all  these  intrigues  in  the  bud,  I  declared 
that  if  this  petition  was  ever  j)resented  to  me,  I  would 
hang  the  bearer.  A  certain  fellt)w,  by  the  name  of 
Miragoin,  had  taken  charge  of  this  precious  piece  of 
composition,  and  had  assumed  the  responsibility  of  ita 
presentation,  but  on  his  being  informed  of  nij  inten- 
tions, he  tore  it  to  pieces." 

One  would  have  thouglit  that  Cadillac  had  supped 
full  of  annoyances^  if  not  of  liorrors.  But  another 
cause  of  deep  mortification,  particularly  for  one  so 
pious  and  so  strictly  moral  as  he  was,  had  been  kept  in 
reserve ;  which  was,  his  finding  himself  under  the  ne- 
cessity of  resisting  the  solicitations  of  his  friend,  the 
Curate  de  la  Vente,  and  of  the  other  miosionaries,  who 
insisted  upon  his  expelling  out  of  the  colony,  two  wo- 
men of  bad  character,  that  had  lately  arrived.  "  I 
have  refused  to  do  so,"  said  ho,  in  one  of  his  dispatches, 
"  because  if  I  sent  away  all  Avomen  of  loose  habits, 
there  would  be  no  females  left,  and  this  would  not  meet 
the  views  of  the  government.  Besides  (he  slyly  ob- 
served), one  of  these  girls  occupies  the  position  of  a 
servant  in  the  household  of  the  kii.g's  commissary,  who 
will  no  doubt  reclaim  her  from  her  vicious  propensities. 


til  ■ 


'J.  \\ 


i  h  I 


']  ,!t    'I 


<       I 


148 


CADILLAC'S  DAUaUTRR 


After  Jill,  I  think  that  the  ineiiiher.s  of  the  cleri^y  here 
are  i)('i'ha[)H  too  riii;i(l,  and  too  fond  of  exactin<5  long 
and  repeated  confessions.  A  littk^  more  lenity  woukl 
hetter  snit  tin;  place  and  time.  Let  me  add,  in  conchi- 
Hion,  that  if  yon  do  not  check  tlie  intrigues  of  Bienville 
and  of  the  commissary,  who  have  gained  over  to  their 
sid(!  most  of  the  olVicers  and  of  the  irdiahitants,  Crozat 
wil!  soon  he  obliged  to  abandon  his  enteri)rise." 

We  see  that  tlierc  was  a  deep  fi'eling  of  animosity 
between  ('adillac  and  liienville,  which  threatencHl  to  be 
of  long  continuance,  liut  Cadillac  had  a  daughter, 
and  IJi(>nville  was  a  young  man,  and  one  of  such  jis  are 
framed  by  natuiv  to  win  tlie  all'cclious  of  tlie  fair  de- 
scendants of  Mother  I^a'c.  Would  not  a  novel-writer 
imngitie,  under  such  cii-cnnistances,  a  love  story,  either 
to  soothe  the  two  chit-fs  into  a  I'econciliation,  or  to  fan 
into  niore  si)ai'kling  llames  the  slow  bui'uing  fire  of 
theii-  inextinguishable  hatred  i  Is  it  not  strange  that 
what  would  certaiidy  be  devised  to  increase  tlie  inter- 
est of  the  dranuitic  plot,  did  actually  turn  out  to  be  an 
historical  occurrence  ?  Hut  what  fact  or  transaction, 
commonplace  as  it  would  appear  anywhere  eho  accord- 
ing to  tlu'  oi-dinary  run  of  things,  does  not,  when  con- 
nected with  Louisiana,  assume  a  ronumtic  form  and 
shape '{ 

Thus  Cadillac's  daughter  did  really  fall  in  love  with 
Bienville.  But  although  her  eyes  spoke  plainly  the 
sentiment  of  her  heart,  Bienville  did  not  seem  to  be 
conscious  of  his  good  fortune,  and  kept  himself  wrapped 
np  in  respectful  l)lindiu'ss.  The  lady's  love,  however, 
nuuh'  itself  so  ai)})ai'ent,  tl:-it  it  at  last  fUushe'  upon 
Cadillac's  mind.  This  was  indeed  a  discovery !  llow 
he  did  wince  at  the  idea  that  one  whom  he  looked 
upon  a.s  so  inferior  to  himself  in  birth  and  rank,  and 
particularly  that  a   Canadian  should  have  won  the 


FALLS  IN  LOVE  WITH  BIENVILLK 


143 


heart  of  his  daughtor !  Vehemently  and  long  did  he 
remonstrate  with  his  progeny  on  the  unnatural  passion 
which  she  had  conceived;  l)ut  the  love-sick  maid 
thought  it  ])erfectly  natural,  and  showed  a  pertinacity 
which  greatly  shocked  her  e([ually  obstinate  parent. 
Nay,  she  did  what  othei's  had  done  before  her,  and  be- 
came so  pale  and  emaciated  that  she  frightened  her  fa- 
ther's opposition  into  an  accpiiescence  with  her  wishes. 
So  much  so,  that  Cadillac  brought  himself,  at  l.-wt,  to 
think  that  this  match  would  not  be  so  (lis])roportionate 
as  he  luul  conceived  it  at  first.  Bienville,  after  all,  was 
a  gentleman  by  birth,  he  was  the  founder  of  a  colony, 
and  had  been  a  governor! — That  was  something  to 
begin  with,  and  he  might,  in  the  course  of  time,  rise  to 
an  eminence  which  would  show  him  worthy  of  an  alli- 
ance with  the  illustrious  Cadillac  family.  Besides,  Ca- 
dillac was  getting  old,  and  hud  so  fur  had  a  jwor  chance 
of  ac(piiring  the  wealth  he  had  been  in  (piest  of  so 
h)ng.  If  he  died,  what  would  become  of  his  daughter? 
These  reflections  settled  the  question,  and  Cudilluc  said 
to  himself,  "  Bicmville  shall  be  my  son-in-law."  Never 
did  he,  for  one  single  moment,  dream  of  any  obstacle. 
Nothing  remained  but  to  encourage  Bienville's  fancied 
timidity,  and  to  lift  up  the  curtain  which  concealed  from 
him  the  bliss  awaiting  his  unconscious  innocence. 

One  morning,  Bienville,  much  to  his  astonishment, 
received  a  friendly  invitation  to  the  governor's  closet. 
There,  tlie  great  man  proffered  to  his  subordinate,  the 
olive  branch  of  reconciliation,  and  by  slow  degrees, 
gave  him  to  understand  that  the  god  Hymen  might 
seal  the  bond  of  their  amity.  Bienville  received  this 
coumumication  with  low  and  reverential  obeisance. 
Much  delighted  did  he  show  himsolf  at  this  offer  of 
reconciliation,  and  much  honored  .  Ith  the  prospect, 
however  distant,  of  an  alliance  so  far  beyond  his  hum- 


si 


«'r 


144 


BIENVILLE  DECLINES  ilARRYING  HER. 


,  t 


blc  aspirations ;  Init,  at  the  same  time,  he  plainly  inti- 
mated to  Cadillac  his  firm  determination,  for  reasons 
best  known  to  liimseU",  forever  to  undei'<,^o  the  mortifi- 
cations of  celil)acy!     So  unexpected  this  answer  was, 
that  Cadillac  reeled  in  his  seat,  as  if  he  had   been 
stunned    by  a   sudden    blow.     There    he   stood   in   a 
trance,  with  his   mouth   g'apiiif,'  wide,   with  his  eyes 
starting  from  their  sockets,  and  with  dihiting  nostrils, 
while  Bienville  and  the  very  walls,  and  every  thing 
that  was  in  the  room,  seemed  to  spin  and  whirl  madly 
around  him,  with  electric  rapidity.     Now,  indeed,  he 
had  known  the  worst,  fate  had  entered  the  lists,  and 
Blniam  wood  had  come  to  Dumimme !     What !  his 
daughter,  a  Cadillac,  to  be  refused  by  a  Canadian  ad- 
venturer !     No  doubt  a  screw  had  broken  loose  in  the 
machinery  of  the  universe,  and  our  whole  world  was 
to  be  flung  back  into  the  womb  of  old  chaos  again ! 
Before   Cadillac   had   recovered   from  this  paroxysm, 
Bienville  had  made  his  exit,  and  had  gone  to  tell  the 
anecdote  to  some  confidential  friends.     The  fact  Avhich 
I  have  related,  is  thus  briefly  mentioned  by  Bienville 
in  one  of  his  dispatches :  "  I  can  assure  your  excellency 
that  the  cause  of  Cadillac's  enmity  to  me,  is  my  having 
refused  to  marry  his  daughter." 

Bienville  did  not  Avait  long  to  receive  a  signal  proof 
of  Cadillac's  vindictive  spirit,  and  he  anticipated  a  man- 
ifestation of  it,  when  summoned  a  second  time  to  ap- 
pear before  his  chief.  Nor  was  he  deceived ;  and  when 
he  was  ushered  into  Cadillac's  jiresence,  that  dignitary's 
countenance,  Avhich  looked  more  than  usually  solemn 
and  stern,  indicated  that  he  had  matured  his  revenge 
for  the  insult  he  had  undergone.  "Sir,"  said  he  to 
Bienville,  "  I  have  received  secret  information  that  four 
Canadians,  on  their  Avay  to  Illinois,  have  been  massa- 
cred by  the  Natchez.     You  must  punish  the  murderers, 


BIENVILLE  ORDERED  TO  PUNISH  THE  NATCHEZ.         145 

and  build  a  fort  on  the  territory  of  that  perfidious  nar 
tion,  to  keoj)  it  in  che(!k.     Take  Richebourg'a  company 
of  thii-ty-four  men,  fifteen  sailors  to  man  your  boats,  and 
proceed  to  execute  my  commands."    "  What !"  exclaimed 
Bienville,  "  do  you  really  intend  to  send  me  with  thirty- 
four  men  to  encounter  a  hostile  tribe  that  numbers  eight 
hundred  warriors  !"     "  A  truce  to  your  observations," 
continued  Cadillac,  with  a  bitter  smile,  "  to  hear  must 
be  to  obey.     I  can  not  dispose  of  a  greater  force.     I 
have  myself  good  grounds  to  expect  being  attacked  by 
the  neighboring  nations,  who,  as  I  am  informed,  have 
entered  into  a  consinracy  against  us.     Yet  the  offense 
committed  by  the  Natchez  must  be  instantlv  requited, 
or  they  would  be  emboldened  into  the  perpetration  of 
worse  outrages.     Go,  then,  with  such  means  as  I  can 
give;  in  case  of  success,  your  merit  will  be  greater,  but 
if  you  should  meet  with  any  reverse,  you  will  be  at  no 
loss  for  an  excuse,  and  all  the  responsibility  shall  be 
mine.     Besides,  you  and  Richebourg  have  such  talents 
and  courage  as  will  easily  extricate  you  out  of  any  dif- 
ficulty.    You  are  a  very  Ilcveules,  and  he  is  a  perfect 
Theseus,  in  licentious  propensities,  at  least.     What  is 
this  mission  I  send  you  upon,  compared  with  the  twelve 
labors  of  the  mytliological  hero,  who,  like  you  on  this 
occasion,  was  sent  forth  to  redress  wrongs  and  punish 
crimes !"     To  the  studied  sarcasm  of  this  set  speech, 
Bienville  made  no  answer.     In  those  days  of  adventur- 
ous and  almost  mad  exploits  in  America,  in  an  age  when 
the  disciplinarian  rules  of  hierarchy  commanded  such 
respect  and  obedience,  none,  without  disgrace,  could 
have  questioned  the  word  of  his  superior,  when  that 
word  was  to  brave  danger,  however  foolish  and  reck- 
less this  exercise  of  authority  might   be.     Moreover, 
Bienville  saw  that  his  ruin  had  been  deliberately  plan- 
ned, and  that  remonstrance   was  useless.    Therefore, 


i 

i 

i    ■  ^  ' 

H  I 


OHARAOTER  OF  RIOHEBOURO. 


fiignifyiug  mute  assent  to  Catlilluc's  wishes,  he  withdrew 
to  betake  himself  to  the  execution  of  the  orders  which 
he  had  received,  and  to  advise  with  Kichebourg  on  the 
best  means  of  defeating  Cadillac's  malicious  designs. 

llichebourg  was  a  brave  officer,  full  of  intelligtnice 
and  of  cool  daring,  whose  career  in  Euroi)e,  as  a  mili- 
tary man,  had  ham  interrupted  by  several  duels,  which 
at  bust  had  forced  him  to  leave  his  country.  He  was 
BO  amiable,  so  ol)liging,  so  exceedingly  conciliatory, 
that  it  was  difficult  for  one  who  did  not  know  a  certain 
eccentric  peculiarity  of  his  mind,  to  understand  liow  he 
had  come  to  have  so  many  (|uarrels.  Who  more  gifted 
than  he  with  suavity  of  mannei's  and  the  art  of  ])lejis- 
iug  'i  He  never  was  fretted  l)y  contradiction,  anil  ever 
smiled  at  opposition.  Popular  among  men,  a  favorite 
with  women,  he  never  allowed  words  of  blame  t  ^  fall 
from  his  lips,  but  on  the  contrary  was  remarkable  for 
the  good  nature  of  his  I'eraarks  on  all  occasions  except 
one.  How  could  tliis  milk  of  human  kindness,  which 
Wiis  the  dominant  eloment  of  his  disposition,  be  sud- 
denly soured  into  oifensive  acidity,  or  turned  int(j  gall  ? 
It  wiU!  passing  strange  1  Hut  it  wjis  nevertheless  true, 
that,  for  some  cause  which  he  neviu'  explained,  he  had 
conceived  the  most  inveterate  hatred  for  all  that 
smacked  of  i)hilantliropy.  There  suddenly  sprung  up 
in  his  heart  a  sort  of  diseased  aversion  for  the  man, 
who,  in  his  presence,  either  went  by  the  name  of  })hi- 
lanthropist,  or  expressed  sentiments  which  gave  him  a 
claim  to  that  chai'acter.  Kichebourg,  on  such  occasions, 
would  listen  with  exemplary  com])()sure,  and,  treasuring 
uj)  in  his  memory  every  philanthropic  declaration  that 
fell  from  the  li})s  of  the  speaker,  he  would,  jis  soon  jia 
he  found  the  opj)ortunity,  put  him  to  the  test,  Jis  to 
whether  his  practice  corresponded  with  his  theory. 
Alas !  few  stood  the  test,  and  then  llichebourg  was  not 


CHARACTER  OF  RICHEBOURO. 


147 


sparing  of  tlie  words,  Immbug^  impof<tor^  and  liypocrits. 
Wliat  was  the  consequence  ?     A  quarrel ;  and  invaria- 
bly the  philanthropist  was  run  through.     On  this  in- 
ex})licable  whim,  on  this  Quixotic  tilting  with  all  prj- 
tendeis  to  philanthropy,  Eichebourg's  fi'iends  fn^quently 
remonstrated,  but  found  him  intractable.     No  answer 
would  he  give  to  their  observations,  but  he  kept  stead- 
ily on  the  same  course  of  action.     At  last  it  became 
evident  to  them,  that  it  was  an   incurable   mania,  a 
crotchet  which  had  got  into  his  brain  and  was  incapa- 
ble of  eradication.     With  this  imperfection  they  ])ut 
up  with  good  humor,  on  account  of  his  many  noljle 
qualities,  and  he  l)ecanie  generally  known  and  desig- 
nated as  the  ])hilanthropist  hater.     His  companions  in 
arms,  who  loved  him — although  with  some  of  them  he 
had  actually  fouglit  because,  either  in  earnest  or  in  jest, 
they  had  hoisted  the  red  flag  that  was  sure  to  rouse  the 
bull — had,  in  a  joking  manner,  convened  one  day  all 
the  officers  and  inhal)itants  of  Mobile  and   Mjissacre 
Island,  and  had  passed,  with  mock  gravity,  a  resolution, 
which  was,  however,  sei-iously  adliered  to,  and  in  which 
they  declared  that,  for  the  future,  no  one  would  allow 
himself,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  to  be  a  philanthro- 
pist within  a  radius  of  three  miles  of  Richebourg.     This 
secured  peace ;  but  woe  to  the  imprudent  or  uninformed 
stranger  who  trespassed  on  that  sacred  ground,  with  the 
slightest  visible  sign  of  the  heresy  which  the  fanatic 
Richebourg  held  in  utter  abomination ! 

Such  was  the  officer  who  was  to  share  with  Bienville 
the  dangers  of  the  expedition,  which  was  subsecjuently 
known  in  the  annals  of  Louisiana,  as  the  first  Natchez 
war. 

On  the  24th  of  April,  1710,  Bienville,  with  the  small 
force  which  had  been  allotted  to  him,  encamped  on  an 
island,  situated  in  the  Mississippi,  opposite  the  village 


I        !* 


!■?! 


\  "  '\  !1 


148 


BIENVILLE'S  INTERVIEW 


m 


ri  t 


If  )  ' 

I:  fill' 


f  ,  ' 


A  El  II 


of  the  Tunicas,  at  the  distance  of  about  eighteen  leagues 
from  the  Natchez.  He  immediately  sent  a  Tunica  to 
convey  to  the  Natchez  the  intelligence  that  he  was 
coming  to  establish  a  factory  among  them,  to  trade  in 
furs,  and  to  supply  them,  in  exchange,  with  all  the  Eu- 
ropean merchandise  they  might  want.  Bienville  had 
been  infonned  that  the  Natchez  believed  that  the  late 
murders  they  had  committed  on  the  persons  of  some 
French  traders,  had  not  been  discovered,  and  he  re- 
solved to  avail  himself  of  this  circumstance  to  accom- 
plish  his  purposes  without  the  risk  of  a  collision,  Hd' 
affected,  therefore,  to  have  come  on  the  most  friendly 
errand,  and  gave  out  that  he  had  encamped  on  the 
island  merely  to  afford  rest  to  his  men,  and  to  minister 
to  the  wants  of  some  that  were  sick.  He  nevertheless 
took  the  precaution  to  have  an  intrenchment  made  v/ith 
stakes  or  posts,  within  which  lie  erected  three  log*» 
iouses.  One  he  intended  as  a  store-house  for  his  pro- 
Tisions  and  ammunition,  the  other  as  a  guard-house,  and 
the  third  for  a  prison. 

On  the  37th,  three  Natchez  came,  under  the  osten- 
sible purpose  of  complimenting  Bieii\alle,  on  the  part 
of  their  tribe,  but  in  reality  to  act  as  spies,  and  they 
tendered  to  him  the  calumet,  that  mystic  pipe  which 
the  Indians  use  for  fumigation,  as  the  ensign  of  peace, 
Bienville  refused  to  smoke  with  them,  and  pretended 
to  consider  himself  as  not  treated  with  the  respect  to 
which  he  was  entitled,  because  their  chiefs  had  not 
come  in  pei-son,  to  greet  hi?n^  the  chief  of  the  French. 
"  I  see,"  said  he,  "  that  your  people  are  not  pleased  with 
the  idea  of  my  forming  a  settlement  on  their  territory, 
for  trading  with  them.  Otherwise  they  would  have 
expressed  their  satisfaction  in  a  more  becoming  man- 
lier. Be  it  80.  If  the  Natchez  arc  so  thankless  for 
what  I  meant  to  be  a  favor,  I  will  alter  my  determina- 


1 


WITH  THE  NATCHEZ  EMISSARIES. 


i4d 


t. 


tion,  and  give  the  preference  to  the  Tunicas,  who  have 
always  shown  themselves  such  great  friends  to  the 
French." 

After  this  speech,  Bienville  ordered  the  three  envoys 
to  be  well  feasted  and  treated  with  kindness.     The  next 
day  they  returned  to  their  villages,  with 'a  Frenchman 
sent  by  Bienville,  and  whose  mission  was  to  address  a 
formal  invitation  to  the  Natchez  chiefs  to  a  conference 
on  the  Tunicas  Island.     On  this  occasion,  the  Natchez 
felt  greatly  embarrassed,  and  many  consultations  were 
had  on  the  best  course  to  be  pursued.     Some  were  of 
opinion,  that  it  would  be  imprudent  for  their  chiefs  to 
put  themselves  in  the  power  of  the  French,  who  might 
have  received  information  of  what  had  lately  occurred, 
and  who  might  have  come,  under  the  garb  of  peace,  to 
entrap  their    great   men  and  wreak  vengeance  upon 
them.     Others  maintained  that,  from  the  circumstance 
of  the  French  having  come  in  such  small  number,  it 
was  evident  that  they  were  ignorant  of  the  death  of 
their  countrymen,  and  did  not  intend  to  act  as  foes. 
*'This  inference,"  they  said,  "was  confirmed  by  the  in- 
formation which  had  been  carefully  collected  by  their 
spies.     They  had  no  pretext  to  treat  the  French  with 
indignity,  and  therefore  it  Avas  proper  for  the  chiefs  of 
their  tribe  to  go  to  meet  and  escort  to  their  villages 
the  wise  and  valiant  pale-faced  chief,  who  had  already 
visited  them  on  preceding  occasions.     A  different  course 
might  excite  suspicion,  and  investigation  might  lead  to 
the  discovery  of  what  it  was  desirable  to  conceal.     At 
any  rate,  the  chiefs,  by  refusing  to  accept  Bienville's  in- 
vitntion,  would  certainly  incur  his  displeasure,  and  he 
migfit,  by  forming  a  trading  establishment  at  the  Tuni- 
cas, enrich  that  rival  nation,  to  the  detriment  of  the 
These  arguments  prevailed,  and  in  an  evil 


i 


Wl 


J'ili 


Natchez." 


'•>,  11 


•160 


I'HE  CHIEFS  OF  THE  NATCHEZ  VISIT  BIENVILLE. 


m 


iii.i' 


i\  "'ill 


11 


hour  for  the  Indian  chiefs,  their  visit  to  Bienville's 
camp  was  resolved  on. 

On  the  very  day  Bienville  had  dismissed  the  three 
Indian  envoys,  he  had  dispatched  one  of  his  most  skill- 
ful Canadian  boatman,  to  ascend  the  river,  with  the 
otmost  secrecy,  during  the  night,  and  proceeding  to  a 
certain  distance  beyond  and  above  the  villages  of  the 
Katchez,  to  give  notice  to  the  French,  who  might  be 
coming  down  the  river,  of  the  danger  that  threatened 
them  from  the  Natchez.  That  man  was  provided  with 
i,  score  of  parchment  rolls,  which  he  waa  to  append  to 
trees  in  places  where  they  were  likely  to  meet  the  eyes 
©f  those  descending  the  Mississippi,  and  which  bore  this 
inscription :  "  The  Natchez  have  declared  war  against 
the  French,  and  M.  de  Bienville  is  encamped  at  the 
Tunicas." 

On  the  8  th  of  May,  at  10  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the 
Indian  chiefs  were  seen  coming,  with  great  state  in 
four  pirogues.  The  chiefs  were  seated  under  parasols, 
and  were  accompanied  by  twelve  men,  swimming.  At 
this  sight,  Bienville  ordered  half  of  his  men  to  keep 
themselves  well  armed  and  concealed  in  the  guard- 
house, but  ready  for  sudden  action.  The  other  half  he 
instructed  to  appear  without  any  weapons,  to  assi.st  the 
Indians  in  landing,  and  to  take  charge  of  all  their  war 
apparel,  as  it  were  to  relieve  them  from  an  encum- 
brance, and  under  the  pretext  that  it  would  be  im- 
proper to  go  in  such  a  guise  to  the  awaiting  feast  and 
carousal.  He  further  commanded  that  eight  of  the 
principal  chiefs,  whom  he  named,  should  be  introduced 
into  his  tent,  and  the  rest  be  kept  outside  until  his 
pleasure  was  made  known.  All  this  was  carried  into  ex- 
ecution without  the  slightest  difficulty.  The  chiefs  en- 
tered the  tent,  singing  and  dancing,  and  presented  the 
calumet  to  Bienville.    But  he  waved  it  off  with  con* 


f 


'^ 


BIENVILLE  ARRESTS  THEM. 


151 


tempt,  and  sternly  told  them  that,  before  drawing  one 
whiff  from  the  smoking  pipe,  he  desired  to  know  what 
they  had  to  say,  and  that  he  was  willing  to  listen  to 
their  harangue.  At  this  unexpected  treatment,  the 
chiefs  were  highly  disconcerted :  they  went  out  of  the 
tent  in  dismay,  and  seemed,  with  great  ceremony,  to  be 
offering  their  calumet  to  the  sun.  Their  great  priest, 
with  extended  arms,  made  a  solemn  appeal  to  their 
god,  supplicating  him  to  pour  his  rays  into  the  heart  of 
the  pale-faced  chief,  to  dispel  the  clouds  which  had 
there  accumulated,  and  had  prevented  Bienville  from 
seeing  his  way  and  doing  justice  to  the  feelings  of  hia 
red  friends.  After  all  this  religious  display,  they  re- 
turned to  the  tent,  and  again  tendered  their  calumet  to 
Bienville,  who,  tired  of  all  these  proceedings,  thought 
proper  at  once  to  take  the  bull  by  the  horns  and  to 
come  out  with  his  charges.  "  Before  I  receive  your 
token  of  amity,"  said  he  abruptly,  "and  pledge  my 
faith  in  return,  tell  me  what  satisfaction  you  offer  for 
the  death  of  the  Frenchmen  you  have  murdered." 
The  Indians,  who  had  really  thought  that  Bienville 
knew  nothing  of  that  crime,  appeared  to  be  struck 
aghast  by  this  direct  and  sudden  apostrophe:  they 
hung  down  their  heads  and  answered  not.  "  Let  them 
be  carried  to  the  prison  prepared  for  them,"  exclaimed 
Bienville  impatiently,  "  and  let  them  be  secured  with 
chains,  stocks,  and  fetters." 

On  this  demonstration  of  hostility,  out  came  the  In- 
dians with  their  death-songs,  which,  much  to  the  annoy- 
ance of  the  French,  they  kept  repeating  the  whole 
day : — they  refused  all  food,  and  appeared  determined 
to  meet  their  expected  doom  with  the  dauntless  energy 
80  common  in  that  race  of  men.  Toward  evening, 
Bienville  sent  for  the  great  chief,  called  "The  Great 
Sun,"  and  for  two  of  his  brothers,  whose  names  were, 


'•Mi 


I'll 
!   )| 

ll'      <    '  I 


I    ,1 


M:'i   ^ 


.!   '.  ! 


1 


if" 


152 


SPEECH  OF  BIENVILLE 


"The  Stung  Serpent"  and  "The  Little  Sun."    They 
were  the  three  most  influential  rulers  of  the  nation. 
Bienville  thus  addressed  them:  "I  know  that  it  was 
not  by  your  order,  or  with  your  consent,  that  the 
French,  whose  death  I  come  to  avenge,  have  been  mur- 
dered.    Therefore,  your  lives  are  safe,  but  I  want  the 
heads  of  the  murderers,  and  of  the  chiefs  who  ordered 
or  sanctioned  the  deed.     I  will  not  be  satisfied  with 
their  scalps :— I  wish  for  the  very  heads,  in  order  that 
I  may  be  sure  that  deceit  has  not  been  practiced.     This 
whole  night  I  give  you  for  consultation  on  the  best 
mode  of  affording  me  satisfaction.     If  you  refuse,  woe 
to  your  tribe  !     You  know  the  influence  which  I 'have 
over  all  the  Indian  nations  of  this  country.     They  re- 
spect, love  and  trust  me,  because  from  the  day,  seven- 
teen summers  ago,  when  I  appeared  among  them,  to 
the  present  hour,  I  have  always  been  just  and  upright. 
You  know  that  if  I  raise  my  little  finger  against  you, 
and  give  one  single  war-whoop,  the  father  of  rivers  will 
hear,  and  will  carry  it,  up  and  down  stream,  to  all  his 
tributaries.     The  woods  themselves  will  prick  jip  their 
leafy  ears,  from  the  big  salt  lake,  south,  to  the  fresh 
water  lakes  at  the  north,  and  raising  their  mighty  voice 
as  when  struggling  with  the  hurricane,  they  will  sum- 
mon from  the  four  quartei-s  of  the  horizon,  the  children 
of  the  forests,  who  will  crush  you  with  their  united  and 
overwhelming  powers. 

"  You  know  that  I  do  not  botist,  and  that  those  red 
allies  will  gladly  march  agamst  you,  and  destroy  the 
eight  beautiful  villages  of  w^hich  you  are  so  i)roud, 
without  my  risking  the  life  of  one  single  Frenchman! 
I)o  you  not  remember  that,  in  1704,  the  Tchioumaqui 
killed  a  missionary  and  three  other  Frenchmen  ?  They 
refused  to  deliver  the  murderers  to  me — my  wrath  was 
kindled,  and  I  said  to  the  neighboring  Indian  nations: 


TO  THE  CHIEFS. 


153 


*  Bienville  hates  the  Tchioumaquis,  and  he  who  kills  a 

Tchiouiiiaqui,  is  Bienville's  friend.'     When  I  passed  this 

sentence  upon  them,  you  know  that  their  tribe  was 

composed  of  three  hundred  families.     A  few  months 

elapsed,  and  they  were  reduced  to  eighty !  they  sued 

for  peace  at  kst,  yielded  to  my  demands,  and  it  was 

only  then  that  the  tomahawk,  the  arrow  and  the  rifle 

ceased  to  drink  their  blood.     Justice  was  satisfied:— 

and  has  Bienville's  justice  a  smaller  foot  and  a  slower 

gait  when  it  stalks  abroad  in  the  pursuit  of  the  white 

man  who  has  wronged  the  red  man?     No!     In  1702 

two  Pascagoulas  were  killed  by  a  Frenchman.     Blood 

for  blood,  I  said,  and  the  guilty  one,  although  he  was 

one  of  my  people,  no  longer  lived.     Thus,  what  I  have 

exacted  from  the  Indians,  I  have  rendered  unto  them. 

Thus  have  I  behaved,  and  thus  have  I  deserved  the 

reputation  which  I  enjoy  in  the  wigwams  of  the  red 

men,  because  I  never  deviated  from  the  straight  path 

of  honesty.     Hence  I  am  called  by  them  the  arrcm  of 

uprightness  and  the  tomahawh  of  justice. 

''Measure  for  rmasure !~t\{m  is  my  rule.  When 
the  Indians  have  invoked  my  arbitration  between 
themselves,  they  have  been  invariably  subject  to  this 
same  rule.  Thus,  in  1703,  two  Taouachas  having  killed 
a  Chickasaw,  I  obliged  their  chiefs  to  put  them  to  death. 
Blood  luill  have  llood.  When  the  Choctaws  murdered 
two  Chactioumans  in  1715,  I  said,  tooth  for  tooth,  lives 
for  lives,  and  the  satisfaction  was  granted.  In  1707 
the  Mobilians,  by  my  order,  carried  to  the  Taouachas^ 
the  head  of  one  of  their  tribe  in  expiation  of  an  offense 
of  a  similar  nature;  and  in  1709  the  Pascagoulas  hav- 
mg  assassinated  a  Mobilian,  'an  eye  for  an,  eye;  was  my 
award,  and  he  wlio  was  found  guilty,  forfeited  his  life. 
The  Indians  have  always  recognised  the  equity  of  this 
law,  and  have  complied  with  it,  not  only  between  them- 


..  ■>  I 


<  il 


iBiii  ;i 


154 


THE  CHIEFS  AOREE  TO 


V'Ky 


j'i 


selves,  but  between  them  and  the  French.  In  1703,  the 
Coiraa  made  no  difficulty  to  put  to  (U'ath  four  of  their 
warriors,  who  had  murdered  a  missionary  ami  two 
other  Frenchmen.  I  could  (juote  many  other  instances, 
—but  the  cause  of  trutli  does  not  recjuire  loni?  sj)eeches, 
and  few  words  will  convince  an  honest  heart.  I  have 
done.  I  do  not  believe  that  you  will  refuse  to  abide 
by  the  law  and  custom  which  luus  always  existed  among 
the  Indians,  and  between  them  and  the  French.  There 
would  be  iniquity  and  dan^re,.  in  the  bi-each  of  that  law: 
honor,  justice,  i)tuice  and  safety  He  in  its  observance. 
Your  whitt^  brother  waits  for  an  answer." 

The  Indians  listened  to  this  speech  with  profound 
attention,  but  made  no  re])ly,  and   Bienville  ordered 
them  to  b(>  remanded  to  prison.     The  next  morning, 
at  daybreak,  they  requested  to  speak  to  Bienville,  and 
they  were  conducted  to  his  presence.     The  Indian,  who 
was  the  first  of  the  chiefs  by  rank,  addressed  him  in 
these  terms:  "The  voice  of  the  (^,reat  Spirit  made  it- 
self heard  witliin  us  last  night.     We  have  listened  to 
his  dictate,  and  we  come  to  give  our  Avhite  brother 
whatever  satisfaction  lie  desires.     But  we  wish  him  to 
observe  that  we,  the  great  chi(>fs,  being  all  i)risoners, 
there  is  no  man  left  behind,  wlio  has  the  power  to  ac- 
comj>lish  the  mission  of  lu-inging  the  heads  thou  de- 
mamk^st.     Let,  therefore,  the  Stung  Serpent  be  libe- 
rated, and  thy  will  sliall  be  done."     To  this  request, 
BienviUe  refused  his  assent,  because  he  knew  the  energy 
of  t]iat  chief,  and  doubted  his  intentions;  but  he  con- 
sented that  Little  Sun  should  go  in  his  brother's  place. 

Five  days  had  elapsed,  when  Little  Sun  returned, 
and  brought  three  lieads.  Aft(*r  a  cmvful  examination 
of  their  features,  Bienville  sent  again  for  all  the  chiefs, 
and  ordering  one  of  the  lu^ads  to  be  flung  at  their  feet ;' 
"The  eye  of  the  white  chief,"  said  he,  "sees  clear  through 


PUNISH  THE  MURDERERS. 


155 


the  fog  of  your  duplicity,  and  his  heart  is  full  of  sorrow 
at  your  conduct.  Tliis  is  not  the  head  of  the  guilty, 
but  of  the  innocent  who  has  died  for  the  guilty.  This 
is  not  the  head  of  Oyela})e,  he  wJaom  ye  call  the  Chief 
of  the  White  Clay^  "True,"  inswered  the  Indians, 
"  we  do  not  deny  thy  word,  but  Oyelape  has  fled,  and 
his  brother  was  killed  in  his  place."  "  If  even  it  be  so," 
observed  Bienville,  "  this  substitution  can  not  be  ac- 
cepted." 

The  next  day,  the  15th  of  May,  Bienville  allowed  two 
other  chiefs  and  the  great  priest,  to  depart  for  their  vil- 
lages, to  tiy  if  they  would  not  be  more  successful  than 
the  Little  Sun.  They  returned  on  the  25th,  and  in- 
formed Bienville  that  they  could  not  discover  the  place 
of  Oyelape's  concealment,  but  they  brought  along  with 
them  some  slaves  and  part  of  the  goods  which  had  be- 
longed to  the  murdered  Frenchmen.  In  the  mean  time, 
twenty-two  Frenchmen  and  Canadians  who  were  coming 
down  the  river  in  separate  detachments,  having  seen  the 
parchment  signs  posted  up  along  its  banks,  by  the  order 
of  Bienville,  had  given  a  wide  berth  to  the  side  occu- 
pied by  the  Natchez,  and  using  proper  precaution,  had 
arrived  safely  at  Bienville's  camp.  Thus  he  found  him- 
self at  the  head  of  seventy-one  men,  well  armed,  of  tried 
hardihood,  and  used  to  Indian  warfare.  This  Avas  a  for- 
tunate accession  to  his  forces ;  for  the  Indians  had  al- 
most determined  to  make,  in  their  canoes,  a  night  attack 
upon  the  island,  and  to  rescue  their  chiefs  in  the  attempt. 
The  Tunicas  had  given  to  Bienville  *'otice  of  what  was 
brewing  among  the  Natchez,  and  offered  forty  of  tlieir 
best  Avarriors  to  assist  tlic  French  i  .  the  defense  of  the 
island.  But  Bienville,  Avho,  although  he  affected  to  put 
great  trust  in  them,  feared  that  tliey  might  prove  trai- 
tors, refused,  witli  aj)parent  thankfulness,  their  proffered 
assistance,  and  replied  that,  with  his  small  force,  he 


■ 

i 

i  t^^^i 

\mm-    . 

0  lagi 

1    ' 

If 

•'■:H;| 


1, ;  ! 


»■.   ;i 


j   ' 

ly 

1    "     f 

1 

,i 

i 

,1 

ILU 

J 

156    THE  MURDERERS  ARE  SURRENDERED  TO  BIENVILLE. 


could  make  the  island  good  against  the  whole  tribe  of 
the  Natchez.  This  manifestation  of  confidence  in  his 
strength,  and  the  timely  arrival  of  the  twenty-two  white 
men,  with  some  Illinois,  no  doubt  prevented  the  Natchez 
from  cairying  their  project  into  execution.  It  is  probar 
ble  that  they  were  also  deterred  by  the  consideration, 
that  the  French,  if  hard  pressed,  would  put  their  pris* 
©nei-s  to  death. 

The  Great  Sun,  the  Stung  Serpent,  and  the  Little  Sun, 
who,  perhaps,  had  so  far  delayed  to  make  any  confes- 
8ion,  because  they  entertained  the  expectation  of  being 
rescued,  having  at  last  given  up  this  hope,  came  out 
with  a  frank  avowal.  They  maintained  that  they  never 
had  any  previous  knowledge  of  the  intended  murder  of 
the  French,  and  declared  that  four  of  the  assassins  were 
among  Bienville's  prisoners.  One  of  them  was  called 
the  Chief  of  the  Beard;  the  other  was  named  Alahofle- 
chia,  the  Chief  of  tha  Walnut  Village ;  the  two  others 
were  oi  dinary  Avarriors.  They  affirmed  that  these  were 
the  only  guilty  ones,  with  the  exception  of  Oyelape,  the 
Chief  of  the  White  Clay,  who  had  fled.  "The  Great 
Spirit,"  they  said,  "  has  blinded  them,  has  turned  their 
wits  inside  out,  and  they  have,  of  their  own  accord,  de- 
livered themselves  into  thy  hands.  It  is  fortunate  that 
it  be  so ;  otherwise  the  two  warriors  might  have  fled, 
and  the  two  chiefs  are  such  favorites  with  the  nation, 
that  they  would  have  successfully  resisted  our  demand 
for  their  heads,  and  to  give  thee  satisfaction  would  have 
been  impossible.  As  it  is,  it  shows  that  our  Great 
Spirit  has  shaken  hands  with  the  God  of  the  Cross,  and 
has  passed  on  the  side  of  our  Avhite  brother." 

It  was  then  the  1st  of  Juno,  and  the  river,  which  was 
rising  daily,  had  overflowed  the  island  one  foot  deep, 
and  made  the  quarters  of  the  French  more  than  uncom. 
fortable.     Ilumiditv.  combined  with  heat,  had  engeu* 


il  f 


>^ 


T^m 


BIKNVILLE'S  TREATT. 


157 


dered  disease,  and  lialf  of  Bienville's  men  were  stretched 
on  the  couch  of  sickness.  It  was  then  high  time  for 
him  to  put  an  end  to  the  situation  he  was  in.  Sum- 
moning to  his  presence  all  his  prisoners,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  the  four  men  who  had  been  designated  as  th« 
assassins,  he  said  to  them;  "Your  people,  after  havinjj 
invited  my  people  to  trade  with  them,  suddenly  violated 
the  laws  of  hospitality,  and  treacherously  murdered 
four  Frenchmen  who  were  their  guests.  They  thought 
the  atrocious  deed  would  remain  unknown,  and  that 
they  would  quietly  enjoy  their  blood-stained  plunder. 
But  the  souls  of  the  dead  spoke  to  me,  and  I  came, 
and  I  invited  you  to  my  camp,  as  you  had  invited  the 
French  to  your  villages,  and  you  became  my  guests,  m 
they  had  been  yours,  and  I  rose  upon  you,  as  you  ross 
upon  them.  Measure  for  measure.  But  I  shall  not 
butcher  you,  as  you  butchered  them.  You  killed  the 
innocent  and  the  confiding — I  shall  kill  only  the  treach* 
erous  and  the  guilty.  Who  can  say  that  this  is  not  jus- 
tice ?  Now,  let  us  bury  the  hatchet  of  war.  I  am  sat- 
isfied with  and  believe  your  last  declarations.  Hear, 
then,  on  v/hat  conditions  I  consent  to  release  you  and 
grant  you  peace.  You  will  swear  to  put  to  der-th,  as 
soon  as  possible,  Oyelape,  the  Chief  of  the  White  Clay, 
and  you  will  bring  his  head  to  the  French  officer  whom 
I  shall  station  among  you.  You  will  consent,  also,  to 
my  putting  to  death  the  two  chiefs  and  the  two  war- 
riors who  are  in  my  hands,  You  will  restore  every  ob» 
ject  that  you  may  ever  have  taken  from  the  French  j 
for  what  has  been  lost  or  wasted,  you  will  force  your 
people  to  pay  the  equivalent  in  furs  and  provisions. 
You  will  oblige  them  to  cut  two  thousand  five  hundred 
Stakes  of  acacia-wood,  thirteen  feet  long  by  a  diameter 
of  ten  inches,  and  to  convey  the  whole  to  the  bank  of 
the  Mississippi,  at  such  a  spot  as  it  will  please  the  French 


te 


!   P 


I         I 


;f  ■ 


*'  J 


158 


ITS  RATIFICATION  BY  THE  NATCHEZ. 


to  erect  a  fort ;  and  furthermore,  you  will  bind  your- 
selves to  furnish  us,  as  a  covering  for  our  buildings,  with 
the  barks  of  three  thousand  trees.  This  is  to  be  exe- 
cuted before  the  ftrst  day  of  July ;  and  above  all,  you 
will  also  swear,  never,  under  any  pretext  or  color  what- 
ever, to  entertain  the  slightest  commercial  or  friendly 
relations  with  the  British,  whom  you  know  to  be  the 
eternal  enemies  of  the  French." 

The  chiefs  a.ssented  to  these  terras,  swore  by  the  sun 
that  they  would,  for  the  future,  he  the  best  friends  of 
the  French,  and  urged  Bienville  to  smoke  the  pipe  of 
peace.  Bienville  knew  well  what  to  think  of  these 
hollow  protestations,  but  affected  to  believe  in  the  re- 
turn of  the  Natchez  to  the  sentiments  they  professed. 
He  refused,  however,  to  smoke,  because  he  considered 
that  the  treaty  of  peace  would  not  be  valid,  until  rati- 
fied in  a  meeting  of  the  whole  nation,  but  he  dismissed 
all  the  Indians  with  the  exception  of  the  Stung  Ser- 
pent, the  Little  Sun,  and  the  four  criminals  who  were 
doomed  to  death.  With  the  departing  Indians,  he  sent 
Aid-major  Pailloux,  accompanied  by  three  soldiers,  to 
be  present  at  the  ratification  of  the  treaty.  On  the 
7th  of  June,  nine  old  men  came,  with  great  ceremony 
and  pomp,  to  give  to  Bienville  official  information  of 
the  expected  ratification. 

On  the  12th,  the  two  Indian  chiefs  were  put  to 
death,  the  two  warriors  having  already  met  their  fate 
on  the  9th.  When  the  Chief  of  the  Beard  saw  that 
the  moment  had  come  for  the  execution  of  the  sen- 
tence passed  upon  him,  he  ceased  his  death-song  which 
he  had  been  chanting  for  some  time,  and  took  up  a 
sort  of  war-song,  while  he  looked  fiercely  at  the  threat- 
ening muskets  of  the  French,  and  at  the  few  Indians  of 
his  tribe  whom  Bienville  had  detained  to  witness  the 
death  of  the  culprit. 


WAR  SONG  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  THE  BEARD. 


109 


tDar  Song. 
I. 

'•  Let  there  be  joy  in  the  hearts  of  the  Natchez !  A  child  is  born  to 
them  of  the  race  of  their  suns.  A  boy  is  bom  with  beard  on  his  chin  ! 
The  prodigy  still  works  on  from  generation  to  generation."  So  sang  the 
warriors  of  my  tribe  when  I  sprung  from  my  mother's  womb,  and  the 
shrill  cry  of  the  eagle  in  the  heavens  was  heard  in  joyous  response. 
Hardly  fifU'en  summers  had  passed  over  my  head,  when  long  and  glossy 
my  beard  had  grown.  I  looked  round,  and  I  saw  that  I  was  the  only 
red  man  that  had  this  awful  mark  on  his  face,  and  I  interrogated  my 
mother,  and  she  said  : 

Son  of  the  Chiefs  of  the  Beard, 

Thou  shalt  know  this  mystc^ry, 

In  which  thy  curious  eye  wishes  to  pry, 

When  thy  beard  from  black  becomes  red. 


^^ 


iii 


i 


'  «l 


11  M 


n. 

Let  there  be  joy  in  the  hearts  of  the  Natchez !  A  hunter  is  born 
to  them,  a  hunter  of  the  race  of  their  suns.  Ask  of  the  bears,  of  the  buf- 
faloes, of  the  tigers,  and  of  the  swift-footed  deer,  whose  arrows  they  fear 
most.  They  tremble  and  cower  when  the  footstep  of  the  hunter  with 
beard  on  his  chin  is  heard  on  the  heath.  But  I  was  born  too  with  brains 
in  my  head,  as  well  as  beard  on  my  chin,  and  I  pondered  on  my  mo- 
ther's words.  One  day,  when  a  leopard,  whom  I  strangled,  had  torn  my 
breast,  I  painted  my  beard  with  my  own  blood,  and  1  stood  smiling  before 
her.  She  said  nothing,  but  her  eye  gleamed  with  wild  delight,  and  she 
took  me  to  the  temple,  where,  standing  by  the  sacred  fire,  she  thuo  sang 
to  me : 

Son  of  the  Chiefs  of  the  Beard, 

Thou  shalt  know  the  mystery, 

Since,  true  to  thy  nature,  with  thy  own  blood, 

Thy  black  beard  thou  hast  turned  to  red. 


III. 

Let  there  be  joy  in  the  hearts  of  the  Natchez  !  for  a  witted  chief,  wor- 
thy of  the  race  of  their  suns,  has  been  born  to  them,  in  thee,  my  son ;  a 


t    .  1 


"il 


i 

1 

\ 
^1 

I 

1 

1 

1 

! 

1 

'    t 

'1  » 

8 
1 

1 

'If  ' 


160 


WAR  SONG  OF  THE 


noblo  chief  witli  beard  on  his  chin  !  Listen  to  the  explanation  of  this 
prodii,')'.  In  days  of  old,  a  Natchez  maid  of  the  race  of  their  suns,  was 
on  a  visit  to  the  Mobilians.  There,  she  soon  loved  tlio  ycutlifi:!  chief  of 
that  nation,  and  her  wedding-ilay  was  nigh,  when  tliore  came  from  the 
big  salt  lake,  south,  a  host  of  bearded  men,  wlio  sacked  the  town,  slew 
the  rtid  chief  with  their  thunder,  and  one  of  those  accursed  evil  spirits 
used  violence  to  the  maid,  when  her  lover's  corpse  wjis  hardly  cold  in 
death.  She  found,  in  sorrow,  her  way  back  to  the  Natchez  hills,  where 
she  became  a  mother;  and  lo  !  the  boy  had  beard  on  his  chin  !  and 
when  ho  grow  to  understand  his  mother's  words,  she  whispered  in  his 


ear : 


Son  of  the  Chiefs  of  the  Board, 

Born  from  a  bloody  day, 

Bloody  1)0  thy  liiitid,  bloody  bo  tliy  life, 

Until  thy  black  beard  with  blood  becomes  red 


E("> 


Ifwj^lj 


IV. 

Let  there  bo  joy  in  the  hearts  of  tho  Natcliez  !  In  my  first  ancestor, 
a  long  line  of  the  best  of  hunters,  of  chiefs,  and  of  warriors  of  tho  race  of 
their  suns,  liad  been  born  to  thorn,  with  beard  on  their  chin  !  What 
chiiso  w:i8  ever  unsuccessful,  when  over  it  they  presided  ?  When  they 
spoke  in  the  council  of  the  wise  men  of  tho  nation,  did  it  not  always  turn 
out  that  their  advice,  whether  adopted  or  rejected,  w;vs  tho  best  in  tho 
end?  In  what  battle  were  they  ever  defeated?  When  wero  they 
known  to  be  worn  out  with  fatigue,  hardships,  hunger  or  thirst,  heat  or 
cold,  either  on  land  or  on  water  ?  WHio  over  could  stem,  as  they,  the 
rushing  current  of  the  father  of  rivers  ?  AVho  can  count  the  number 
of  scalps  which  they  brought  from  distant  expeditions?  Their  names 
have  always  been  famous  in  the  wigwams  of  all  the  red  nations.  They 
have  struck  terror  into  the  boldest  breasts  of  tho  enemies  of  tho  Natchez ; 
and  mothers,  when  their  sons  paint  their  bodies  in  tho  colors  of  war,  say 
to  them  : 

Fight  where  and  with  whom  you  pl«anc, 

But  beware,  oh  !  beware  <.!'  the  Ohiofs  of  the  Beard  t 

(live  way  lO  them,  ns  you  would  to  death, 

Or  their  black  bearda  with  your  blood  will  be  red ! 


V. 


liiiiik'  li 


Let  there  bo  joy  in  tho  hearts  of  tho  Natchez !     When  the  first  Chief 
of  tho  Beard  first  trimmed  the  sacred  firo  in  the  temple,  a  voice  was 


CHIEF  OF  THE  BEARD. 


161 


heard,  which  said,  "As  long  as  there  lives  a  chief,  of  the  race  of  the  suns, 
with  beard  on  his  chin,  no  evil  cau  happen  to  the  Natchez  nation  ;  but 
if  the  white  race  should  ever  resume  the  blood  which  it  gave,  in  a  bloody 
day,  woe,  three  times  woe  to  the  Natchez !  of  them  nothing  will  remain 
but  the  shadow  of  a  name  !"  Thus  spoke  the  invisible  prophet.  Years 
rolled  on,  years  thick  on  years,  and  none  of  the  accursed  white  faces  wera 
seen  !  But  they  appeared  at  last,  wrapped  up  in  their  pale  skins,  like 
shrouds  of  the  dead ;  and  the  father  of  my  father,  whom  tradition  had 
taught  to  guard  against  the  predicted  danger,  slew  two  of  the  hated 
strangers,  and  my  father,  in  his  turn,  killed  four ! 

Praise  be  to  the  Chiefs  of  the  Beard  1 

Who  knew  how  to  avei  je  their  old  ancestral  injury ! 

When  with  the  sweet  blood  of  a  white  foe, 

Their  black  beard  they  proudly  painted  rod. 


VI. 

Let  there  be  joy  in  the  hearts  of  the  Natchez  !  When  I  saw  the  glo- 
rious light  of  day,  there  was  born  to  them  a  great  warrior,  of  the  race  of 
their  suns,  a  warrior  and  a  chief  with  beard  on  his  chin  !  The  pledge  of 
protection,  of  saf(!ty,  and  of  glory  stood  embodied  in  me.  When  I  shouted 
my  first  war-whoop,  the  owl  hooted  and  smelt  the  ghosts  of  my  enemies  1 
—the  wolves  howled,  and  the  carrion  vultures  shrieked  with  joy,  for  they 
knew  their  food  was  coming  !— and  I  fed  them  with  Chickasaw  flesh, 
with  Choctaw  flesh,  until  they  were  gorged  with  the  flesh  of  the  red  men  ! 
A  kind  master  and  purveyor  I  was  to  them,  the  poor  dumb  creatures 
that  I  loved!  But  lately,  I  have  given  them  more  dainty  food.  I 
boast  of  having  done  better  tlian  my  father :  five  Frenchmen  have  I 
killed,  and  my  only  regret  at  dying,  is,  that  it  will  prevent  me  from  kill- 
ing more  I 

Ha  I  ha  1  ha  1  that  was  game  wortliy  of  the  Chief  of  the  Beard  I 

How  lightly  lie  danced  !  ho  I  ho  !  ho ! 

How  gladly  he  shouted  !  ha !  lia  !  ha  ! 

Each  time  witli  French  blood,  his  black  beard  became  red  I 


VII. 

Let  sorrow  be  in  the  hearts  of  the  Natche;.. !  The  great  hunter  is  no 
more  !  The  wise  chief  is  going  to  meet  his  forefathers  :  the  indomifiblo 
warrior  will  no  longer  raise  his  hatchet  in  the  defence  of  the  children  of 
the  sun.    O  burning  shame  I—ho  was  betrayed  by  his  brother  chiefs,  who 


162 


HIS  EXEcimoir. 


r 


!*  ' 


fl.'   '   1:!' 


soM  Ills  Wood.  If  they  liad  followea  his  advice,  they  wouM  have  tinited 
•with  the  Choctaws,  with  tlie  Cliickasaws,  and  all  the  other  red  nations, 
and  they  would  have  sl.-iin  all  the  French  dogs  that  came  pro^vling  and 
Stealing  over  the  beautiful  face  of  our  country,  Uut  there  was  too  much 
of  the  woman  in  their  cowardly  hearts.  Well  and  good!  Let  the  will 
of  fate  bo  accomplished !  The  white  race  will  soon  resume  the  blood 
which  they  gave,  and  then  the  glory  and  the  very  existence  of  the  Nat* 
chez  nation  will  have  departed  forever  with  the  Chief  of  the  Beard ;  for 
I  am  the  last  of  my  race,  and  my  blood  flows  in  no  other  human  veins. 
O  Natchez !  Natchez !  remember  the  prophet's  voice  1  I  am  content  to 
die,  for  I  leave  behind  me  none  but  the  doomed,  and  I  go  to  revel  with 
my  brave  ancestors  I 

They  will  recognize  their  son  in  the  Chief  of  the  Beard ; 
They  will  welcome  him  to  their  glorious  lioraestead, 
Wlien  they  see  so  many  scalps  at  his  girdle, 
And  his  black  beard  with  French  blood  painted  red! 

He  ceased,  and  stood  up  before  the  adiuiiing  eyes  of 
the  French,  with  a  look  of  exulting  defiance,  and  with 
his  fine  athletic  person,  measuring  seven  feet  high,  and 
seemingly  dilated  into  more  gigantic  proportions  by  the 
excitement  which  convulsed  his  soul.  The  French 
officer  who  commanded  the  platoon  of  soldiers,  chosea 
on  this  occasion  to  fulfill  a  melancholy  duty,  gave  the 
word,  "  j^/'(?  /"  and  the  Chief  of  the  Beard  passed  into 
another  world. 

On  the  3d  of  August,  the  fortifications  ordered  by 
Bienville  had  been  completed,  the  Indians  having 
strictly  complied  with  the  terms  of  the  treaty.  Tliey 
did  more :  they  not  only  furnished  all  the  materials 
which  had  been  stipulated,  but  labored  with  great 
zeal  in  cutting  ditches,  in  raising  the  parapets  and 
bastions  of  the  fort,  and  in  constructing  the  buildings 
recpiired  by  the  J'rench.  Stung  Serpent  even  sent  one 
hundre<l  and  fifty  men  to  the  French,  to  transport  all 
their  baggage,  ammunition,  and  provisions,  from  the 
Tunicas  to  the  Natchez.     On  the  25th  of  August,  Bien- 


m 


BIENVILLE  ERECTS  FORT  ROSALIE. 


163 


ville  found  himself  comfortably  and  securely  established 
in  the  strong  position  which  he  had,  in  such  a  wily 
manner,  obtained,  as  we  know,  from  the  Natchez.    How- 
ever, they  appeared  to  have  dropped  all  resentment  at 
the  mode  by  which  Bienville  had  got  such  advantages 
over  them,  and  they  behaved  as  if  they  were  extremely 
desirous  to  impress  upon  him  the  belief  that  they  were 
delighted  at   his  forming  a   settlement  among  them. 
Five  or  six  hundred  men  of  that  tribe,  accompanied  by 
three  hundred  women,  came  one  day  to  dance  under 
the  walls  of  the  fort,  as  a  manifestation  of  their  joy  at 
the  termination  of  their  quarrel  with  the  French,  and 
at  the  determination  of  the  pale  faces  to  establish  them- 
selves among  their  red  friends.     Bienville  invited  the 
chiefs  to  come  into  the  fort,  and  treated  them  with  due 
honors.     It  is  evident  that  the  Indians  wished  to  pro- 
pitiate the  strangers  whom  they  could  not  shake  off; 
and  whom,  from  instinct  alone,  they  must  have  regard- 
ed as  their  most  dangerous  enemies,  and  as  the  future 
cause  of  their  ultimate  ruin.     But  that  they  felt  any 
satisfoction  at  the  intrusion  of  these  new-comers,  the 
knowledge  of  human  nature  forbids  us  to  believe.   Two 
distinct  and  antagonistical  races  had  met  front  to  front, 
and  at  the  very  moment  they  appeared  to  embrace  in 
amity,  and  joined  in  the  carousing  feast,  the  one  was 
secretly  meditating  subjugation,  and  the  other  resist- 
ance and  revenge. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  seeing  no  signs  of  hostility 
from  the  Indians,  Bienville  left  Aid-major  Pailloux  in 
command  of  the  new  fort,  which  was  called  "Kosalie," 
and  departed  for  Mobile,  where  he  arrived  on  the  4th 
of  October,  with  the  satisfaction  of  having  accomplished 
the  difficult  task  with  which  he  had  been  charged. 
This  was  one  cause  of  triumph  over  his  adversary, 
Cadillac,  but  he  there  found  another  cause  of  (rratulg' 


'  'I 


la. 


I  .11 


I 


164     CADILLAC  SUPERSEDEIV-ANECDOTES  OP  CADILLAC. 


i»1 


,  t 


fm 


!t 


tion  in  a  letter  to  tlin  from  the  minister  of  the  marine 
department,  in  which  he  was  instructed  to  resume  the 
government  of  the  colony,  in  the  absence  of  De  I'Epinay, 
appointed  to  succeed  Cadillac.  This  was  fortunate  for 
Bienville,  for  he  found  his  quondam  superior  in  a  tow- 
ering rage  at  his  success,  and  at  what  he  called  Bien- 
ville's execrable  perfidy  in  taking  forcible  possession 
of  the  Indian  chiefs,  as  he  did.  But  Bienville  con- 
tented himself  with  laughing  at  his  impotent  vitu- 
peration. 

Before  closing  with  Cadillac's  administration,  I  shall 
briefly  relate  some  other  curious  incidents,  with  which 
it  was  signalized.  In  1715,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Dutigne,  who  loved  a  joke,  wishing  to  amuse  himself 
with  Cadillac's  inordinate  passion  for  the  discovery  of 
mines,  exhibited  to  him  some  pieces  of  ore,  which  con- 
tained certain  proportions  of  silver,  and  persuaded  him 
that  they  had  been  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Kaskaskias.  This  was  enough  to  fire  Cadillac's  over- 
heated imagination.  Anticipating  the  realization  of  all 
his  dreams,  he  immediately  set  off  for  the  Illinois, 
where,  much  to  his  mortific^ation,  he  learned  that  he 
had  been  imposed  upon  by  Dutigne,  to  whom  the  de- 
ceptive pieces  of  ore  had  been  given  by  a  Mexican,  who 
had  brought  them  from  his  country.  After  an  ab- 
sence of  eight  months,  spent  in  fruitless  researches,  he 
returned  to  Mobile,  where  he  found  himself  the  laugh- 
ing-stock of  the  community.  This  wfis  not  calculated 
to  soothe  his  mind,  and  in  one  of  his  dispatches,  in 
which  he  gave  an  account  of  the  colony,  he  said : 

"There  are  as  many  governors  here  as  there  are 
oflScers,  Every  one  of  them  would  like  to  perform  his 
duties  according  to  his  own  interpretation.  As  to  the 
superior  council  of  this  province,  allow  me  to  represent 
to  yonr  grace,  that  its  assuming  the  authority  to  mod- 


n 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  QUARREL  WITH  THE  NATCHEZ. 


165 


ify  his  Majesty's  orders,  is  fraught  with  injury  to  the 
royal  interest,  and  precludes  the  possibility  of  establish- 
ing here  a  good  government,  because  the  language  of 
its  members  smacks  more  of  the  independence  of  repub- 
licans than  of  the  subordination  of  loyal  subjects.  '/ 
will  or  iD'Ul  no%^ — '  it  shall  or  shall  not  Z»e,'  are  words  of 
daily  utterance  in  their  mouths.  A  governor  must  be 
clothed  with  power  superior  to  any  other,  in  order  that 
he  may  act  with  effect,  and  cause  to  be  executed,  with 
prompt  exactitude,  the  commands  of  his  Majesty,  in- 
stead of  his  being  checked  by  any  controlling  or  op. 
posing  influence ;  which  is  always  the  case,  when  he  ia 
forced  to  consult  subaltern  officers,  who  are  swayed  en- 
tirely by  their  own  interest,  and  care  very  little  for  the 
service  of  the  king,  or  for  the  prosperity  of  the  colony." 
These  were  stones  flung  at  Bien^^lle,  at  the  commissary 
Duclos,  and  at  the  superior  council,  who  threw  obstacles 
in  his  way,  and  interfered  with  the  exercise  of  the  ab- 
solute power  which  he  thought  that  he  possessed,  be- 
cause, as  governor,  he  considered  himself  to  be  an  em- 
anation from,  and  a  representation  of  the  king  ' 

On  his  way  up  the  river,  to  search  for  gold  and  sil- 
ver, Cadillac  stopped  at  Natchez.  As  soon  as  he  was 
known  to  approach,  the  Indian  chiefs  came  out  in  bar- 
baric st.ite  to  meet  him,  and  according  to  their  usages, 
presented  to  him  their  calumet,  in  token  of  peace  and 
amity.  Highly  incensed  Cadillac  was  at  the  pre- 
sumption of  the  savages,  in  supposing  that  he  would 
contaminate  his  patrician  lips  Avith  the  contact  of  their 
vile  pipe.  He  accordingly  treated  the  poor  Indians 
very  little  better  than  he  would  uncouth  animals, 
thrusting  themselves  into  his  presence.  His  having  de- 
parted without  having  consented  to  smoke  with  them, 
had  impressed  the  Natchez,  who  could  not  understand 
the  nature  of  his  pride,  Avith  the  idea  that  he  meditated 


m  i 


166 


CHOOTAW  CHIRP  AHHAaaiN/»TKD. 


■>  '  'Ji 


If  I 


1,1 


war  upon  llu'lr  tril»(\  Tlicii,  \\wy  rvHo\\o\\  to  nntici* 
pato  ilic  (>.\|m'c1«m1  I»1(»\v,  and  tlicy  Hccretly  iiiaHMaci'i^d 
Hoiiic  I^'rciU'IiiiitMi  wlu)  liapprncd  to  \w  in  tlicii-  vilhiijjc^.s. 
llciicd  i\w  orii^in  <>!'  tlio  lirst.  ((uarrcl  ol'  \\\o.  Natt-lit'z 
with  tlio  Frcncli,  to  wliicli  liicnvillo  ])ut  an  ciinl,  with 
Hn«'li  siij^nal  hucocmh,  hut  with  u  Jitth;  Mprinklinuj  of 
troai'h«'ry. 

I(  wiiM  not  lh(!  Njih'lic/  aloiu^  whom  ('adilhic  had 
olVciuhMl.  lie  had  alienated  tVoni  the  b'l'cnoh  the  atl'cc- 
tions  of  till'  ChootawH,  who  had  alwayH  hvvn  tUcir 
friends,  hut.  who,  hitterly,  had  invite<l  tlie  I^^ni^lish  to 
Hctth'  anions  them.  Cadillac  ordered  them  to  expel 
their  new  jjjuests,  hut  the  Clun'taws  r.iiswer«>d  that  they 
did  not.  «'ar(>  for  him,  nor  for  tlm  l\>rty  or  tlfty  I'reneh, 
roi;ueH  whom  he  had  und(M"  his  command.  'Hiis  was 
the  kielv  of  tht>  ass,  and  C'adillae  resolviHl  nt)t  to  hear  it, 
hut  lO  show  them  that  the  lion  wjis  not  yet  (Kiad. 
After  deep  eojjji  tat  ions,  h(>  e«>neeived,  for  their  })unish- 
inent,  a  politiv"  stroke,  whit-h  he  carried  into  e.\eeutit)U, 
ami  ot'  whieh  he  informed  his  i»'ovt'rnment,  with  Sj)!ntau 
brevity  :  "  I  have  persuadt'd,"  said  he,  "  the  hrother  of 
th<'  j;r(>at  oliief  o['  the  I'hoi'taws  to  kill  his  soven>igii 
nnd  hrothiM',  i)l(>d<;in<,^  mysi'll'  io  nn'oi^ni/i"  him  as  his 
Piu'oi'ssor.  \\v  did  so,  and  came  lu>re  with  an  escort  t)f 
one  Inmdred  uumi.  1  i>ave  him  presents,  and  secured 
fn>m  him  an  ailvantai:;i'ous  ]H'ace." 

Thus,  it  is  set'u  that  Cadilhu',  w  ith  a  very  had  i;';'aco, 
pn'tendeil  that  his  tend(>r  sensihilitit>s  were  sluu-ked  at 
thi>  treatment  o['  the  Natihe/  chiety  hy  Bienville,  lii 
his  case  it  was  the  eye  with  the  heam  lindiui^  fault  with 
the  moti'  in  his  nini;hhoi"'s  eve. 

(hi  the  L**Jd  of  ,lune,  1T1(),  the  exa.speration  of  Cadil- 
lac, who  t'o\Mul  himself  in  a  hornt't's  nest,  had  hei'omo 
such,  that  he  vented  his  t'eelinijs  in  these  terms,  in  one 
of  his  dispatches:  "  Decidedly,  this  colony  is  a  monster 


J 


CAniLLAO'S  UKPORT  ON  THE  STATE  OF  LOUSIANA.       167 


i 


N 


witlioiit  li(!U(l  or  tiiil,  nrul  its  ^ov<'rnn'<!nt  is  a  nliajxiless 
al)Hiir'(lity.     Tlu;  cuuh(i  of  it  i.s,  tlmfc  the  lictioiiH  of  fnbu- 
lints  luivo  ]mm  Iwliovod  in  preference  to  the  veracity  of 
my  (leclurHtioMH.     All !    wliy  is  there  in  fjilstihood  a 
charm  which  makcH   it  more  acceptable  than  truth? 
JIaM  it  ii(»t  been  asHertcid  thattlu^re  are  mituss  in  Arkan- 
sas and  ((Isewliere'^     It  is  a  (Uiliberati!  error.     Has  not 
tt(;ertain  set  of  nov(^l-\vriterH  ])ublish(!d  tliat  tliis  country 
in  a  panidisi!,  when  its  beauty  or  utility  is  a  mere  phan- 
tasni  of  tli<!  bi-ain?     I  protest  that,  havinj^  visited  and 
exaniiniMJ  the  whohi  of  ft  with  care,  I  never  saw  any 
thini;-  so  worthhws.     Tlii    1  must  say,  because  my  con- 
science forbids  uw.  to  deceive  his  Majesty.     I  have  al- 
ways i-eti^arded  truth  asnipieen,  whose  hiws  I  was  l)ound 
to  n))ey,  like  a  (h^voted  kniu^ht  and  a  faithful  subject. 
This  IS,  no  (h)ubt,  the  cause  of  my  having  stuck  fast  in 
the  niiihlht  of  my  career,  and  not  i)rogn'ssed  in  th(i  ])ath 
of  promotion,  while  others,  who  had  more  i)olitical  skill, 
understood  how  to  frame,  at  my  ex])(nise,  pleasing  mis- 
rei>resentations.     1  know  how  to  govern  as  well  as  any 
body,  but  j)overty  and  impotences  are  two  ugly  scars  on 
the  face  of  a  governor.     What  can  I  <lo  witli  a  force  of 
forty  soldiers,  out  of  whom  live  oi-  six  are  disabled  ?     A 
pretty  army  that  is,  and  well  calctdated  to  make  me  re- 
spected by  the  inhabitants  or  by  tho  Indians!     As  a 
clima.\  to  my  vexation,  they  are  badly  fed,  badly  paid, 
badly  ch)thed,  and  without  (lisci})line.     As  to  the  offi- 
cers, they  are  not  nnich  better.     Veiily,  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  there  is  in  the  whoh;  universe  such  another 
government." 

It  is  not  surprising  that,  under  such  circumstances, 
and  with  the  i<leas  which  fermented  in  liis  head,  Cadil- 
lac shoidd  have  thought  that  a.  terrible  crisis  was  at 
hand.  Laboring  midtM'  this  imi>ression,  he  took  refuce 
m  Dauphine  Island,  where  he  issued  a  proclamation,  in 


'   1? 


It  ' 
I  It  *'' 


H 


168 


r.,: 


CADILLAC  IS  RiniOULED  BY  HIS  ENEMIES. 


i  ^ 


I*     !, 


i  , 


infi 


''•! 


winch  he  stated  that,  considering  the  spirit  of  revolt  and 
sedition  which  ivigned  in  the  colony,  and  the  many 
qiiariels  and  duels  which  occurred  daily,  and  were  pro- 
duced  by  hasty  or  imprudent  words,  by  drunlvenness, 
or  by  the  presence  of  loose  women,  he  prohibited  all  ple- 
beians from  wearing  a  sword,  or  carrying  other  weapons 
either  by  day  or  by  night,  under  the"  jienalty  of  one 
months  imprisonment  and  a  fine  of  800  livres  to  be 
applied  to  the  construction  of  a  church.     As  to  persons 
ot  noble  birth,  they  were  to  prove  their  right  to  wear  a 
8wor<l,  by  dei)ositing  their  titles  in  the  archives  of  the 
superior  ccmncil,  to  be  tliere  examined  and  registered 
Cadillacs  enemies,  and  lie  had  many,  availed  themselves 
ot  this  proclamation  to  turn  him  into  i-idicule.     They 
fabricated  every  sort  of  mock  papers  of  nobility    to 
submit  them  to  the  superior  c.Mincil,  the  members  of 
which,  from  ignorance  or  from  a  d(>sire  to  annoy  Cadil- 
lac, referred  the  whole  of  them  to  him,  who,  as  gcn-ernor 
was  their  pivsident.     Sadly  puzzled  was   Cadillac  on 
these   occasions,  and   his  judgments   afforded   infinite 
amusement  to  the  colonists.     His  waggish  tormentors 
went  fartlier,  and,  pretending  to  have  formed  an  order 
of  chivalry,  they  elected  him,  in  a  solemn  meetin<^  .>-rand 
master  of  that  order,  under  the  title  of  theKMf  of 
^>e  goldm  ca/f.     They  declared,  with  feigned  gmvity, 
that  this  wa^  done  h.  commemoration  of  the  wonderful 
achievements  and  labors  of  their  illustrious  governor  in 
his  researches  for  ],recious  metals.     This  jnece  of  i.leas- 
aiitry  stung  him  to  the  .piick;  but  he  winced  particu- 
larly  at  a  song  whicli,  in  alternate  couplets,  comi>ared 
the  merits  of  the  /u././/.^  of  the  r,ohhn.  calf  ^^At\^  those 
of  the  celebrated  Knujht  of  the  <hlf,d  con'ntenanee,  and 
gave  the  i)reference  to  ilie  first. 

Cadillac  was  preparing  to  repress  these  rebellious  and 
heinous  disorders,  when  he  received  a  letter  from  Crozat, 


I.    '  $\ 


St* 


HE  IS  DISMISSED  FROM  OFFICE. 


169 


in  which  the  great  merchant  told  him  bluntly,  that  all 
the  evils  of  which  he  complained  originated  from  his 
own  Lad  administraticm.  At  the  foot  of  the  letter,  the 
minister  of  the  marine  department  had  written  these 
words:  "The  governor,  Laniothe  Cadillac,  and  the  com- 
missar>^  Duclos,  whose  dispositions  and  humors  are  in- 
compatible, and  whose  intellects  are  not  equal  to  the 
functions  with  which  his  Majesty  has  intrusted  them, 
are  dismissed  from  office."  I  leave  it  to  a  more  graphic 
pen  to  descri})e  Cadillac's  look  and  Cadillac's  feelings 
when  this  thunderbolt  fell  on  his  head.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  that  he  contemptuously  shook  off  his  feet  the  colo- 
nial dust  which  had  there  gathered,  and  Inmdling  up 
his  household  gods,  removed  himself  and  them  out  of 
Louisiana,  which  he  pronounced  to  be  hell-doomed. 

At  that  time,  there  were  only  a  few  negroes  in  the 
colony,  and  they  were  all  to  be  found  about  Mobile  or 
in  Dauphine  Island.     These  were  the  only  persons  in 
whom  some  sympathy  was  discovered  for  tlie  dei)arting 
governor.     This  sympathy  arose  from  a  ludicrous  cause! 
Cadillac  had  carried  to  America  the  fondest  remem- 
brance of  his  home  in  Europe,  and  he  loved  to  dilate 
on  the  merits  of  France,  of  his  native  province  of  Gas- 
cony,  of  the  beautiful  river  Garonne,  and  particularly 
of  his  old  feudal  tower,  in  which  he  pretended  that  one 
of  his  ancestors  had  been  blessed  with  the  inestimable 
honor  of  receiving  the  famous  Black  Prince,  the  boast 
of  England.     There  was  hardly  one  day  in  the  week 
that  he  did  not  harp  upon  this  favorite  theme,  which  he 
always  resumed  with  new  exultation.     There  was  not  a 
human  creature  in  the  colony,  witli  the  exception  of  the 
Indians,  wlio  was  not  familiar  with  this  oft-repeated 
anecdote,  which  had  gaine<l  foi-  Cadillac  the  nickname 
of  the  JUach  Friiice.     It  became  a  sort  of  designation 
by  which  he  was  as  well  known  as  by  his  own" family 


1 

{ ^ 

1 

1  H 

i 

t 

1 
1 
1 

•i.  ') 


SK 

■t 

1 

i^^B 

'■■ 

1 

i 

1 

i 

i 


Wn 


^'^    L' 


170 


THE  CURATE  DE  LA  VENTK 


name;  an  1  the  pour  Africans,  who  freqiiently  heard  it, 
had  supposed  tha+  Oadillac  drew  his  origin  from  a  prince 
of  their  bl(»od  and  color.  'P.m  was  to  them  a  som-ce 
of  no  little  pride,  and  to  the  colonists  a  cause  of  endless 
merriment. 

There  was  another  pei-son  who  highly  appreciated 
Cadillac,  and  who  keenly  regretted  his  dismissal  from 
office :  that  person  was  the  Curate  de  la  Vente.     No 
Davion  was  he,  nor  did  he  resemble  a  Montigny.    With 
a  pale  fiice  and  an  emaciated  body ;  with  a  narrow  fore* 
head,  which  went  up  tapering  like  a  pear ;  with  thin 
compressed  lips,  never  relaxed  by  a  smile ;  with  small 
gray  eyes,  occupying  very  diminutive  sockets,  which 
seemed  to  have  been  bored  with  a  gimlet ;  and  with 
heavy  and  shaggy  eyebrows,  from  beneath  which  is« 
sued,  habitually,  cold  and  even  stern  looks ;  he  would 
have  struck  the  most  unobserving,  as  being  the  very 
personification   of  fanaticism.      When  he   studied,   to 
qualify  himself  for  his  profession,  he  had,  several  times, 
read  the  Bible  and  the  Gospels  through ;  but  his  little 
mind  had  then  stuck  to  the  letter,  and  had  never  been 
able  to  comprehend  the  spirit,  of  the  holy  books.     Like 
a  fly,  it  had  moved  all  round  the  flask  which  contained 
the  sweet  liquor,  without  being  able  to   extract   the 
elightest  particle  of  it.     When  ordained  a  priest,  the 
Bible  and   the   Gospels  were   consigned   to   oblivion. 
For  him,  kneeling  was  prayer,  and  prayer  was  religion. 
Christianity,  which  is  the  triumph  of  reason,  because  it 
exacts  no  belief  but  that  which  flows  from  rational  con- 
viction, was,  according  to  his  conception,  nothing  Init  a 
mysterious  and  inexplical)le  hodge-p(   Ige  of  crude  and 
despotic  dictates,  to  be  accepted  on  trust  and  submitted 
to  without  reflection,  discussion,  or  analysis  of  any  kind : 
for  him,  thought  in  such  matters  would  have  been  a 
grievous  sin ;  his  breviary  was  the  only  book  which  he 


i 


TEE  CintATS  DS  LA.  TfSFTB. 


171 


I 


Itad  read  for  many  years,  and  he  laid  ta  his  soul  the 
flattering  auction  that  he  was  a  pious  man,  because  he 
minutely  complied  with  the  ritual  of  his  church.  He 
fasted,  did  penance,  and  never  failed  i  citiug,  in  due 
time,  all  the  litanies.  Thus,  observing  strictly  nil  the 
forms  and  discipline  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  he 
thought  himself  a  \ery  good  Christian.  But  every  man 
who  did  not  fn  quently  confess  to  a  priest,  and  did  not 
receive  the  sacraments  as  often  as  the  catechism  of  nis 
creed  required  was,  in  his  opinion,  no  better  than  a 
pagan,  and  was  entirely  out  of  the  pale  of  salvation. 
Animated  with  the  fierce  zeal  of  a  bigot,  he  would  not 
tave  scrupled,  if  in  his  pinver,  to  use  the  strong  hand 
of  violence  to  secu;  con  veils,  and  to  doom  to  the  stake 
and  to  the  fagot,  the  un]>  Mever  in  all  the  ten"ts, 
whether  fundamental  oi  iuci<k'ntal,  of  Catholicism:  ibr 
his  religici  consisted  in  implicit  belief  in  all  lie  pre- 
scriptions of  his  'hurch,  and  his  church  was  God. 
Hence,  all  government  which  was  not  theocratical,  or 
bordering  on  it,  he  looked  upon  as  an  unlawful  and  sin- 
ful assumption  of  power,  which  the  church,  l)y  all 
means,  was  bound  to  take  back,  m  its  legitimate  prop- 
erty. 

With  such  dispositions,  the  Cui-ate  de  la  Vente  soon 
became  the  terror  of  his  flock,  whose  frailties  ^u;  de- 
nounced with  the  epileptic  violence  of  a  maniac,  and 
whose  slightest  delinquencies  he  threatened  wit  etei- 
nal  damnation.  A  fanatic  disci]  >llnarian,  he  had  been 
shocked  at  the  laxity  with  which  the  soldiers,  the  offi- 
cers, the  Crnadi;  boatmen  and  traders,  ami  the  other 
colonists,  ])erformed  tht  ■  religious  duties.  He  did  ?iot 
take  into  consideration  that  a  judicious  allowance  (Might 
to  be  made  for  the  want  of  education  of  son  •,  for  the 
temptations  which  jieculiar  circn  instances  threw  in  the 
way  of  others,  and  foi   the  particular  mode  of  life  to 


(           !!l(' 

u 

I 

,  ■ !  ■' 

,  '  .  !  , 

^   i    \\ 


M 


\:    i 


172 


THE  CURATE  DE  LA  VENTE. 


which  all  were  condemned,  and  which  might  be  re- 
ceived in  extenuation,  if  not  in  justification  of  many 
faults.  He  might  have  reclaimed  some  by  the  soothing 
gentleness  of  friendly  admonition:  he  discouraged  or 
disgusted  all  by  the  roughness  of  intemperate  reprijach. 
Aware  of  the  aversion  which  he  hud  inspired,  and  in- 
dignant at  the  evil  practices  in  which  some  indulged 
openly  from  inclination,  and  others,  out  of  vain  bravado 
to  a  minister  they  detested,  he  had  supported  Cadillac 
in  all  the  acts  of  his  administration,  in  all  his  repi-esen- 
tations  of  the  state  of  the  country ;  and  he  had  himself 
more  than  once  widtten  to  the  ministry,  that  God  would 
never  smile  upon  a  colony  inhabited  by  such  demons, 
heathens,  and  scoffers  at  the  Holy  Church ;  and  he  had 
recommended,  not  a  Saint  Baiiholoraew  execution,  it  is 
true,  1)ut  a  general  expulsion  of  all  the  people  that  were 
in  the  colony,  in  order  to  replace  them  with  a  more  re- 
ligious-minded community.  As  to  the  Indians,  he  con- 
sidered them  as  sons  of  perdition,  who  offered  few  hopes, 
if  any,  of  ])eing  redeemed  from  the  bondage  of  Satan. 

Seeing  that  the  Ministry  had  paid  no  attention  to  his 
recommendations,  he  had  determined  to  make,  out  of 
the  infidels  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  as  much 
money  as  he  could,  which  he  intended  to  ap])ly  to  the 
purpose  of  advancing  the  interests  of  the  church,  in 
some  more  favorable  spot  for  the  germination  of  eccle- 
siastical domination.  With  this  view,  he  made  no  scru- 
ple to  fatten  upon  the  Philistines,  and  he  opened  a  shop, 
where  he  kept  for  sale,  ])arter,  or  exchange,  a  variety 
of  articles  of  trade.  He  disposed  of  them  at  a  price  of 
which  the  purchasers  complained  as  being  most  uncon- 
scionaljle ;  and  he  also  loaned  money  to  the  Gentiles, 
at  a  rate  of  interest  which  was  extravagantly  usurious. 
As  a  salvo  to  his  conscience,  he  had  adopted  the  com- 
fortable motto  that  the  end  justifies  the  means.    The 


m 


THE  CUKATE  DE  LA  VENTE. 


173 


14: 


benighted  Indians  and  the  unchristian  Christians  (to  use 
his  own  exjw'essions)  were  not  spared  Ly  him.  When 
the  circumstance  was  too  tempting,  and  he  had  to  deal 
-with  notorious  unbelievers,  he  would  even  indulge  in 
what  he  would  have  called  actual  cheating,  if  coming 
from  a  Christian  dealing  with  a  Christian.  On  these 
occasions,  he  would  groan  piteously,  cross  himself  de- 
voutly, fall  on  his  knees  before  the  image  of  our  Savior, 
and  striking  his  breast  with  compunction,  he  would  ex- 
claim, "  O  sweet  Jesus,  if  this  be  an  infraction  of  thy 
law,  it  is  at  least  a  trifling  one,  and  it  is  done  for  the 
benefit  of  thy  church :  forgive  me,  O  Lamb  of  mercy, 
and  I  will,  in  expiation,  say  twelve  paters  and  twelve 
aves  at  the  foot  of  the  altar  of  thy  Virgin  Mother,  or 
I  will  abstain  a  whole  day  fi'om  all  food,  in  thy  honor." 
After  this  soliloquy,  he  would  get  up,  perfectly  recon- 
ciled with  himself  and  with  his  Maker,  to  whom,  in 
these  cases,  he  always  took  care  to  keep  his  plighted 
word.  Many  a  time,  his  worldly  transactions  for  the 
glorification  of  the  church,  and  for  the  increase  of  church 
proj)erty  at  the  expense  of  those  he  considered  as  infi- 
dels, forced  him  to  enter  into  such  strange  compromises 
with  his  conscience  and  with  his  God.  Hence  the  ori- 
gin of  the  accusation  brouglit  against  him  by  Bienville, 
in  one  of  his  dispatches,  and  wdiich  I  have  already  re- 
ported, "that  he  kept  open  shop,  and  was  a  shrewd 
compound  of  the  Jew  and  of  the  Arab."  The  truth  is, 
that  he  was  sincere  in  his  mistaken  faith,  pious  to  the 
best  of  his  understanding,  a  Christian  in  will  although 
not  in  fact,  a  zealous  priest  in  his  way,  which  he  thought 
a  correct  one,  and  a  lamentable  compound  of  fanaticism 
and  imbecility. 

In  August,  1716,  a  short  time  before  the  recall  of 
Cadillac,  there  had  returned  to  Mobile  a  young  man 
named  St.  Denis,  who  was  a  relation  of  Bienville,  and 


^1; 


!   tl 


;(,        ::l 


174 


ST.  DEMS— HIS  CHARACTER. 


whom,  t,vo  years  before,  Cadillac  had  sent  to  Natchi- 
toches, to  oppose  the  Spaniards  in  an  establishment 
which  it  was  reported  they  intended  to  make  in  that 
part  of  the  coimtiy.  His  orders  were,  to  proceed  after- 
ward to  New  Mexico,  to  ascertain  if  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  establish  in  that  direction,  internal  relations 
of  commerce  between  Louisiana  and  the  Mexican  prov- 
inces, where  it  was  lioped  that  Crozat  would  nnd  a 
large  outlet  for  his  goods.  When  St.  Denis  arrived  at 
the  village  of  the  Natchitoches,  hearing  no  tidings  of 
the  supposed  expedition  of  the  Spaniards,  he  left  there 
a  few  Canadians,  whom  he  ordered  to  form  a  settle- 
ment ;  and,  accompanied  by  twelve  others,  who  were 
I)icked  men,  and  by  a  few  Indians,  he  undertook  to  ac- 
complish the  more  difficult  part  of  his  mission. 

I  would  recommend  this  expedition  of  St.  Denis, 
and  his  adventures,  to  any  one  in  search  of  a  sul)ject  for 
literary  composition.  It  is  a  fruitful  theme,  attording 
to  the  writer  the  amplest  scope  for  the  display  of  tal- 
ent of  the  most  varied  order.  St.  Denis  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  characters  of  the  early  history  of 
Louisiana. 


I 


"  He  hither  came,  a  private  gentleman, 
But  young  and  brave,  and  of  a  familj 
Ancient  anJ  noble." 

He  was  a  knight-errant  in  his  feelings  and  in  his 
doings  throughout  life,  and  every  thing  connected  with 
him,  or  that  came  within  the  purview  of  his  existence, 
was  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  I'omance.  The  noble 
bearing  of  his  tall,  Avell-proportioned,  and  remarkably 
handsome  person  was  in  keeping  with  the  lofty  spirit 
of  his  soul.  lie  was  one  in  whom  nature  had  given  the 
world  assurance  of  a  man,  and  that  assurance  was  so 
strongly  marked  in  the  countenance  of  St.  Denis,  that 


HIS  JOURNEY  TO  MEXICO. 


175 


wherever  he  appeared,  he  instantaneously  commanded 
love,  respect,  and  admiration.  There  are  beings  who 
carry  in  their  lineaments  the  most  legible  evidence  of 
their  past  and  future  fate.  Such  was  St.  Denis,  and 
nobody,  not  even  the  wild  and  untutored  Indian,  could 
have  left  his  presence,  without  at  least  a  vague  impres- 
sion that  he  had  seen  one,  not  born  for  the  common 
purposes  of  ordinary  life. 

The  laborious  journey  of  St.  Denis,  from  Mobile 
to  Natchitoches,  the  incidents  connected  with  it,  the 
description  of  the  country  he  passed  through,  and  of 
all  the  tribes  of  Indians  he  visited,  would  furnish  suf- 
ficient materials  for  an  interesting  book.  Bu";  what  an 
animated  picture  might  })e  drawn  of  that  little  band  of 
Canadians,  with  St.  Denis,  and  his  friend  Jallot,  the  ec- 
centric surgeon,  when  they  crossed  the  Sabine,  and 
entered  upon  the  ocean-like  prairies  of  the  present  state 
of  Texas  !  How  they  hallooed  with  joy,  when  they  saw 
the  immense  surface  which  spread  before  them,  black- 
ened with  herds  of  Ijuftaloes,  that  wallowed  lazily  in  the 
tall  luxuriant  grass,  which  afforded  them  such  luscioua 
food,  and  such  downy  couches  for  repose  !  For  the  sake 
of  variety,  the  travelers  would  sometimes  turn  from 
nobler  to  meaner  game,  from  the  hunchbacked  buffalo 
to  the  timid  deer  that  crossed  their  path.  Sometimes 
they  would  stumble  on  a  family  of  bears,  and  make,  at 
their  expense,  a  delicious  repast,  which  they  enjoyed 
comfortably  seated  on  piled-up  skins,  the  testimonials 
of  their  hunting  exploits.  Oh !  there  is  sweetness  in 
the  pi-airie  air,  there  is  a  richness  of  health  and  an  elas- 
ticity of  spirit, 

"  Whiclj  bloated  ease  ne'er  deigned  to  taste," 

But  these  pleasures,  exciting  as  they  were,  would 
perhaps  have  palled  upon  St.  Denis  and  his  compan- 


^!!  I 


fW'l 


!<  I 


'1:1 


I7r. 


HIIIUII'ION  .IAI,I/)T. 


lonn,  jukI  ihi-^lil,  in  llic  end,  hnvt*  Ix'cii  l()(»k«'(I  n])(m  am 
timw   by  ilicm,  iVoin  the  rnMincncy  of  tlicir  n^poHtioii, 
ir  tlicy  Imd  iiof    hccii   'nihiniiiii^dcd  with   nobler  .sport, 
wliicli  consiMtcd    in    oti-rccnrrini,^   MkirmiHiu'S  with   the 
rt'donhlnblc  ('oni.'iiiclifs,   n])on  whosii  iiunt,in_t,''-^r|.,„indH 
Mk'.V    had    inlrudcd.      On    llicst^  oocaHions,   St.    Denis, 
|)rot(*ct(Ml  }iu:.'iinst  the  arrows  of  the  enemy  by  a  Inll  suit 
of  armor,   whi.  Ii    he    liad    bron_u;ht   iVom    l<]iirope,  and 
monnted  on  a  small   black  jennet,  as  strons^  lus  an  ox 
and   as  fleet  as  ihe  wind,  wonid   rush  n|)on  tlu^  aston- 
ished   Indians,  and  perform  such   feats  with   his  battle- 
nxe,   as    those    |)oor   savai^fes    had    never   dreiinufd   of. 
These   eneonntei-s  o^jive   inlinite   salisfavtion   to  Jallot, 
who  was  a  passionate  lover  of  his  art,  and  who  never 
ua.s  H(>en  in  a  i^ooA  Iminor,  exeept  when  he  was  tending,' 
a  wound,      in  that  respect,  with  the  Indians,  he  had  very 
little  chance,  excej)!  it  be  that  of  dissecting'  them,  for, 
m   most    cases,  the  stroke  ot'  the   whit(^    mans  weapon 
■was   C(M'tain   and    instantaneous  death,      lint  he  found 
sonu>  comptMisMtion   in   th«>  numerous  w<»unds  inflicted 
by  the  Indians  on  his  own  comj)anions ;  he  had  a  fond- 
Jiess  for  arrow   wounds,  whi»'h   he  declared   to  be  the 
nicest   and   o-onteelest  «>f  all  wounds.     One  day,  he  was 
HO  delighted  with  a  wound  oi'  this  kind,  which  he  ])ro. 
nounced,  much  to  the  exasjuM-ation  of  his  patient,  to 
1)0  sni)remely  beautiful,  that    lu>  actually  smiled  with 
scU\ijfratulation   and   cracked   a  joke!~to  do  this,  his 
cxcitenient    must    have  been  immense.     Another  day, 
\vh(>n  an  Indian  h;id  luvn  struck  down  by  the  batMe-a.xe 
<i>f  St.  Hcnis,  without,  however,  beinu"  killed  outrii^dit, 
lie  f'elt  such  a   keen  ]>rotessional  emotion  at  the  pros- 
pect of  probini;  an^l  nursinn:  a  pish  which  he  thotiuhfc 
ran'  and  e\lraordin;irv,  that   he  franticly  jumped  upon 
St.  Denis,  hni*'«>-ed  him  with  enthusiasm,  called  him  his 
best  iVicnd,  passionately  thanked  Jiim.  i^ov  the  most  valu- 


I 
'  1  t 


RT.  DKNFH  AURKHTKD  BY  THE  GOVERNOR  OF  CAOUrS.     177 

able  ciis*!  Ik!  hud  ^'ivc^n  liiin,  und  swore  thut  A/.y  Iw/Mm 
Hlioiild  })(•  carriod  on,  whatcjvcir  iinjxMlimont  it  niii^ht 
1»(!  to  their  inarch,  'iiitil  Ik;  died  or  was  cured.  Who 
woidd  liave  thou,i,dit  tliat  this  man,  wiicn  ho  was  not 
wieldin,-,^  his  Hin-<^dcal  instruments,  was  the  most  Im- 
mune l»ein<,^  in  tlie  woi-id,  and  conceal<!d,  under  an  ap- 
j)eurunce  of  cruhhed  iriuliu^nity,  th(;  tendenist  siiusihili- 
ties  of  th(!  JKiurt?  Such  ure  tlie  mysteries  of  liumau 
nature  ! 

St.    Denis   uiid    his   troop   readied    at  last  tlie  Rio 
liravo,  at  a  S])anish  setth-ment  then  callcMl  the  Fort  of 
St.  John    the    liaptist,   or    Presidio    del    Norte.     Don 
l*edro  de  N^iUescas  was  th(i  commander  of  that  place. 
He  i-eceived  the   I^'niiich  wilh  th(!  most  courteous  lios- 
])ita]ity,  and   iiifoi'med   tliem  that  Ih;  could  not  make 
any  comm<'rcial  arranu^ements  with  them,  ))nt  that  ho 
would  suhniit  their  propositions  to  a  supei'ior  oflicer, 
who  was  ooveriK.r  of  the  town  of  C'aouis,  situatcid  at 
the  distiince  of  oiu^  humh'ed  and  ei.i^dity  miles  in  the  in- 
tei'ior.     Spaniards  aiv  not  famous  for  rapidity  of  action, 
lic^fore  the  messao'e  of  Villescas  was  carried  to  Cuouis, 
and  hefoi-(>  the  expecfcMl  answer  canui  hack  to  the  Pre- 
si(ho  Del  Norte,  Si.  Denis  had  loved,  not  without  reci|> 
rocity,  flu;  heautifid  (hm,H-hler  of  the  old  Don.     What 
n  ])retty  tale  mi^ht  hv.  mm\v  of  it,  which  wouhl  deserve 
to   he   written   with   a  feather  dropped   from  Cupid'a 
wino:!      lint  when  the  lovers  were  still  liesitating  us  to 
the  course  they  would  ])tii'sue,  and  discussing  tho  pro- 
priety of  makini,'  a  full  disclosure  to  him  who,  in  the 
sluipe  of  a  fathei',  was  the   arbiter  of  their   destiny, 
there  un-ived  twenty-live  nu>n,  sent  by  J)on  (Ijispurcb 
Anaya,  the  governor  of  C'aouis,  Avith  secrtit  instructions, 
which  were  soon  nuide  manifest,  to  the  dismay  i)f  the 
lovers;  for  these  emissaries  seized  St.  Denis  and  his 
friend  Jallot,  and  conveyed  them  to  Cuouis,  wliere  they 

M 


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f'               1 

,1 

i  ,j 

1  1 

1    I 

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ii  .fill 


178 


THE  LOVES  OF  ST.  DENia 


were  detiuned  in  ])nH()u  until  tlu;  beginning  of  1715. 
From  tlii'^  pluce  of  confincinfint,  Kt,  Denis,  fenring  that 
the  ]u)Mtility  (^vineed  towanls  him,  might  be  (extended 
to  tlie  rest  of  liis  comiKinions,  ordered  them  to  return 
Hpeedily  to  Vuteliitochtu 

Ye  liulwerH  of  America,  I  invite  your  attention ! 
Here  liistory  pieHents  you  with  the  ready-mach;  ground- 
work for  whatever  sui)erstructure  and  embellishments 
you  may  choose  to  imagine  for  the  anuisenu-nt  of  your 
readei-s. 

Don  (laspnrdo  Anaya  had  been  tlie  unsuccessf\il  suitor 
of  Doila  Maria,  the  (huighter  of  Villescas.  What  uiuHt 
liave  been  his  rage,  Avheii  he  was  informi'd  ])y  his  spies 
that  tlie  new-comer,  the  brilliant  Frenchman,  had  tri- 
umpiied,  when^  ho  ha<l  failed  i  Hut  now  he  had  that 
hated  rival  in  his  chitches,  and  he  was  omnij)otent,  and 
if  the  straiig(>r  died  in  the  (hmgeon  of  C^aouis,  who,  in 
these  distant  and  rugged  mountains,  would  bring  Jiim, 
the  <j<)vei'n<>r\  to  an  account^  l*(M'ilous  indeed  wjus  the 
situation  of  St.  Denis,  and  heavy  nnist  havi^  been  his 
thouiilits  in  his  solitai'v  confinenuMit !  Hut  what  nuist 
liave  been  his  indignation  wh"ii,  one  day,  Anaya  de- 
scended into  his  dark  cell,  and  told  him  that  he  should 
bi>  set  free  on  t'ondition  that  lu^  withdrew  his  ])Ughted 
faith  to  the  daughter  of  Villescus!  How  swelled  the 
loy.'vl  lieart  of  the  captive  at  this  base  pro})osal !  He 
vouchsafed  no  answer,  but  he  gave  his  oppressor  such  a 
look  as  made  him  stag<;er  back  and  retreat  with  as  much 
prccii)ltatlon  as  \{'  the  hand  of  Inunediate  ])milslinu'nt 
iuid  b(>en  lifted  up  against  him. 

For  six  months,  St.  Denis  was  thus  detained  prisoiu;r, 
and  the  only  consi(U'ration  which  saved  his  life,  w.*us  the 
lu»}H',  on  the  j)art  of  Anaya,  that  prolonged  sutl'erings 
would  drive  his  victim  to  com[)ly  with  his  reciuest.  At 
the  same  time,  he  repeatedly  sent  secret  messengei-s  to 


^ 


'mmm 


r'l] 


m' 


AND  DONNA  MARIA- 


179 


Dona  Maria,  whose  mission  was  to  inform  her  that  her 
lov(!r  would  ])e  put  to  death  if  she  did  not  wed  Anaya. 
But  tl>e  noblo  Castilian  maid  invariably  returned  the 
same  answer:  "Tell  Anaya  that  I  can  not  marry  him  as 
long  as  St.  Denis  lives,  because  St.  Denis  I  love ;  and 
tell  him  that  if  St.  Denis  dies,  this  little  Moorish  dagger, 
which  wa.s  my  mother's  gift,  shall  be  planted,  eithei-\y 
mys('lf  or  my  jigent's  hand,  in  the  middle  of  his  dastardly 
heart,  wherever  he  may  be."     This  was    said  with  a 
genth^  voice,  with  a  calm  mien,  jis  if  it  had  been  an  or- 
dinary message,  but  with  such  a  gleam  in  the  eye  as  is 
nowliero  to  be  seen  except  in  Spain's  or  Arabia's  daugh- 
ters.    The  words,  the  look,  and  the  tone,  were  minutely 
reported  to  \naya,  and  he  paused !— and  it  is  well  that 
he  did  so,  and  a  Iwlder  heart  than  his  Avould  have  hesi- 
tated; he  knew  the  indomitable  spirit  of  his  race he 

knew  the  old  Cantabrian  blood—and  that  Spain's 
sweetest  doves  will,  when  rouped,  dare  the  eagle  to 
moi-tal  combat! 

The  Spanish  maid  did  not  remain  inactive,  and  satis- 
fied  with   dei)loring   her  lover's   captivity.     She   dis- 
patched to  Mexico  a  trusty  servant,  such  as  is  only 
found  in  Spanish  liousehold;^,  one  of  those  menials  that 
never  question  the  will  of  their  lord  or  lady,  dogs  for 
fidelity,  lions  for  courage,  who  will  tear  to  pieces  what- 
ever is  designated  to  them,  if  such  l)e  the  order  of  their 
masters.     JTis  mission  was  to  find  out  the  means  of  in- 
forming the  Viceroy  that  aFrenc'  aan,  a  presumed  spy, 
hud  been  for  several  months  in  the  hands  of  the  gov- 
ernor of  Caouis,  who  was  suspected  of  concealing  his 
captive  from  the  laiovrl edge  of  the  higher  authorities,  in 
order  to  tamper  with  liis  prisoner  for  a  ransom.     The 
object  of  this  false  information  was  to  excite  the  jealous 
attention  of  the  govcsmment,  and  to  withdraw  St.  Denis, 
at  all  risks,  from  the  dangerous  situation  he  was  in. 


pw 


\ 

B^mb 

'"'    .  ! 

H 

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Rb 

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1  fljHI 

''  1 

■      1 

■ 

lljl 


Ili 


,  iiiiii.. 


iliiif 


i  ,.'llik! 


1   fm'i 


180    ST.  DENIS  SENT  PRISONER  TO  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO. 

This  stratagem  succeeded,  and  mucli  to  liis  astonishment, 
Anaya  received  a  peremptory  order  to  send  his  prisoner 
to  Mexico,  with  a  sure  escort,  and  at  the  peril  of  his 
head,  if  he  failed  ! 

One  morning  St.  Denis  found  himself  suddenly  seated 
on  a  strong,  powerful  horse,  amid  a  detachment  of 
twenty  men,  who  wero  evidently  prepared  for  a  long 
journey.  He  asked  whither  he  was  to  be  carried,  and 
was  particulai'ly  inquisitive  about  his  friend  Jallot,  who 
had  been  put  into  a  separate  dungeon,  and  of  whom  he 
had  heard  nothing  since  his  captivity,  but  he  was 
dragged  away  without  any  answer  being  given  to  his 
inquiries.  Seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  did  he  travel 
without  stopping,  except  it  be  for  such  time  As  was  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  take  a  hurried  rest,  when  the  mag- 
nificent city  of  Mexico  burst  upon  his  sight  in  all  its  im- 
perial splendor.  There,  he  flattered  himself  that  he 
would  obtain  justice,  but  he  soon  experienced  that 
change  of  place  had  been  for  him  no  more  than  a  change 
of  captivity.  Look  at  the  woe-begoue  prisoner  in  that 
horrible  dungeon,  where  he  is  chained  to  the  wall,  like 
a  malefactor !  His  constitution  is  completely  broken 
down ;  his  body  is  so  emaciated  by  his  long  sufferings, 
and  by  the  want  of  wholesome  food,  that  it  presents  the 
appearance  of  a  skeleton  ;  his  long  matted  hair  shrouds 
his  face,  and  his  shaggy  beard  hangs  down  to  his  ])reiist. 
Who  would  have  recognized  the  brilliant  St.  Denis  in 
this  miserable  object,  in  this  hideous-looking,  iron-bound 
felon — a  felon  in  aspect,  if  not  in  reality  ! 

One  day,  an  unusual  stir  was  observed  in  front  of  his 
prison.  The  short,  brief  word  of  command  outside,  the 
clashing  of  arms,  the  heavy  tramping  of  horses,  St. 
Denis  could  distinctly  hear  in  his  dismal  abode.  The 
noise  approached  ;  the  doors  of  his  cell  turned  slowly 
on  their  rusty  hinges ;  on  came  the  bustling  and  obse- 


1 


ilOMANTIC  RELEASE  FROM  PRISON. 


officer  wlio 


181 


quious  jailer,  ushering  in  an  officer  wJio  was  escortec 
by  a  file  of  soldiers.     It  was  one  whom  the  Viceroy 
had  ordered  to  examine  into  the  situation  of  all  the 
prisons  of  Mexico,  and  to  make  a  report  on  their  un- 
fortunate  tenants.      "Who   have  we  here?"  said  the 
officer,  in  an  abrupt  tone.     "  I,"  exclaimed  St.  Denig, 
starting  to  his  feet,  "  I,  Juchereau  de  St.  Denis,  a  gen- 
tleman by  birth,  a  prisoner  by  oppression,  and  now  a 
suitor  for  justice."     On  hearing  these  words,  the  officer 
started  back  and  looked  wild  with  astonishment ;  then 
rushing  to  St.  Denis,  and  putting  his  face  close  to  his 
face,  removing  with  his  trembling  hand  the  disheveled 
locks  that  concealed  the  prisoner's  features,  and  scan- 
ning every  lineament  with  a  rapid  but  intense  look,  he 
said,  with  a  quivering  voice,  which,  through  emotion, 
had  sunk  to  a  whisper,  "  You  were  born  in  Canada  ?" 
"  Yes."     "  Educated  in  France,  at  the  Eoyal  College  of 
Paris?"     "Yes."     "  You  left  France  to  seek  your  for- 
tune  in  Louisiana  ?"     "  I  did."     "  By  heaven,  jailer,  off 
with  those  accursed  chains!    quick!    set  those  noble 
limbs  free  !"     And  he  threw  himself  sobbing  into  the 
arms  of  the  astonished  St.  Denis,  who  thought  himself 
the  dupe  of  a  dream,  but  who  at  last  recognized  in  his 
liberator,  one  of  the  companions  of  his  youth,  his  best 
early  friend,  the  IVIarquis  de  Larnage,  who,  with  some 
other  young  Frenchmen,  had  cnteretl  into  the  Spanish 
army,  and  who  had  risen  to  be  the  Viceroy's  favorite 
aid-de-camp.     What   a  dramatic   scene  !     And  would 
not  this  incident  of  Louisianian  history  be  welcomed  on 
the  stage  by  an  American  audience  ! 

What  a  change  !  Hero  we  are  in  the  gorgeous  halls 
of  Montezuma,  Avhere  the  l>arl)aric  splendor  of  the 
Aztec  enqierors  has  been  improved  by  the  more  correct 
and  tasteful  application  of  Si)an!sh  magnificence;  there 
is  a  festival  at  the  palace  of  the  Viceroy : 


'   i 

4 

.  -Ah 


11 :  \i 

U"'    i: 


^  i  H 


'<  -  I 

■   M 

ii  t 


f    \,l! 


r  k 


Biiii^ 


182  AFFECTION  OF  THE  VICEROY  i 

"  Tlie  long  carousal  shakea  the  illurained  hall ; 
"Well  speeds  alike  the  banquet  and  the  ball" 

Noble  and  beautiful  dames !— Silk,  brocade,  and  diar 
monds !— Gentlemen  of  high  birth— renowned  soldiei-8 
—glittering  uniforms,  studded  with  stars  and  other  dec- 
orations— breasts  scarred  with  wounds — brains  teem- 
ing with  aspirations—grave  magistrates— sage  council- 
lors— subtle  diplomatists— scheming  heads !    What  sub- 
jects for  observation !     The  walls  are  alive  with  paint- 
ings which  court  the  eye,  or  ornamented  with  mirrors 
which  multiply  the  reflected  beauty  of  the  glorious  pa- 
geantry.    Now  and  then,  sciona  of  the  greatest  houses 
of  Spain ;  younger  sons,  that  had  been  sent  to  Mexico 
to  better  their  fortunes ;  men  whose  names,  when  pro- 
nounced, sound  like  a  trumpet  inciting  to  heroic  ex- 
ploits, would  make  their  appearance,  and  to  let  them 
pass,  the  crowd  of  brilliant  guests  would  reverentially 
open  their  ranks.     Such  is  the  involuntary  respect  paid, 
mechanically  as  it  were,  to  those  who  carry  round  their 
foreheads  the  agglomerated  rays  derived,  through  the 
magnifying  focus  of  one  thousand  years,  from  the  his- 
torical distinction  of  a  long,  uninterrupted  line  of  illus- 
trious ancestor's ! 

Suddenly,  the  large  folding  doors  of  an  inner  apart- 
ment are  thrown  open,  and  the  Viceroy  is  seen  at  table, 
with  a  few  favored  and  envied  guests,  enjoying  the  del- 
icacies of  the  most  gorgeous  banquet.  What  an  accu- 
mulated treasure  of  gold  and  silver,  under  every  form 
that  convivial  imagination  can  fancy,  and  in  the  shape 
of  plates,  dishes,  chandeliers,  and  every  sort  of  admira- 
bly chiseled  vases  !  But  who  is  that  noble-looking  cav- 
alier on  the  riglit-hand  side  of  the  Viceroy  'i  Can  it  be 
St.  Denis,  the  late  tenant  of  a  gloomy  jail  ?  It  is.  Pre- 
sented by  his  friend,  the  aid-de-camp,  to  the  represen- 
tative of  the  Majesty  of  Spain,  to  the  Duke  of  Linares, 


I 


FOR  ST.  DENIS, 


183 


he  has  become  such  a  favorite  that  his  daily  and  con- 
stant attendance  is  required  at  court.     Nay,  the  affec- 
tion which  the  Viceroy  had  conceived  for  St.  Denis 
had  so  grown  upon  that  nobleman,  that  he  had  insisted 
upon  the  young  Frenchman  being  lodged  in  the  palace, 
where  every  favor  was  at  his  command.     The  whole 
city  of  Mexico  had  been  convulsed  with  astonishment 
at  the  unexpected  turn  of  fortune,  which  was  the  lot 
of  the  foreign  adventurer.     Marvelous,  indeed,  and  in- 
explicable did  the  fascination  exercised  by  St.  Denis  on 
the  Viceroy,  seem  to  the  multitude  !     Instead  of  attrib- 
uting it,  perhaps    to  its  true  cause,  to  the  congenial 
affinity  of  mind  to  mind,  and  of  heart  to  heart,  they  in- 
dulged in  a  thousand  wild  conjectures.     At  last,  these 
surmises  had  settled  in  the  belief  that  St.  Denis  hau 
saved  the  life  of  the  Viceroy,  in  a  nocturnal  adventure. 
It  was  positively  ascertained,  hov/ever,  that  St.  Denis, 
a  short  time  after  his  liberation,  passing  in  a  secluded 
street,  heard  the  clashing  of  swords.     Kushing  to  the 
spot  from  which  the  noise  of  conflict  came,  he  saw  a 
man  with  a  mask  on  his  face,  and  with  his  back  to  the 
wall  of  a  house,  who  was  sorely  pressed  by  three  other 
men,  masked  also,  who  were  attacking  him  with  the 
greatest  fury.     St.  Denis  took  side  with  the   weaker 
party,  and  put  to  flight  tlie  cowardly  assassins.     He 
never  said  to  whom  he  had  rendered  such  an  eminent 
service,  and  if  he  knew — 

'  He  sliunned  to  show, 


As  hardly  worth  a  slraiiger's  care  to  know ; 

If  still  more  prying  such  inquiry  grew, 

His  brow  fell  darker,  and  his  words  more  few." 

His  secret  died  v/ith  him ! 

Amid  all  the  festivities  of  the  vice-regal  court,  St. 
Denis  had  but  one  thought,  one  aspiration,  that  of  re- 
turning to  his  lady  love,  and  to  his  friend  Jullot.     He 


i! 
I 

I 


■ 

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■ 

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1 

1 

.  I 
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1 

1 

184  TEMPTATION  OF  ST  DENIS— HE  REMAINS  I'IRM. 


r«t 


II  r 


had  even  refused  the  most  brilliant  proposals  from  the 
Viceroy,  such  as  a  high  grade  in  the  S})anish  army, 
saying,  "  I  can  serve  but  one  God  and  one  king.     I  am 
a  Frenchman,  and  highly  as  I  esteem  the  Spaniards,  I 
can  not  become  one."    ''  But,"  replied  the  Viceroy,  "  you 
are  already  half  a  Spaniai-d,  for  you  have  confessed  to 
me  that  you  love  a  Spanish  maid."     "True,"  observed 
St.  Denis,  "  but  it  is  not  certain  that  I  can  marry  her, 
because  I  consider  her  father's  consent  as  doubtful." 
"  Well,  then,  accept  my  offers,"  exclaimed  the  Viceroy, 
"  and  I  pledge  my  knightly  word  to  remove  every  ob- 
stacle that  may  be  in  your  Ava}-."     St.  Denis  expressed 
his  thanks,  as  one  overwhelmed  with  gi-atitude  at  such 
kindness,  Imt  could  not  be  shaken  from  his  dotermina* 
tion.     "  At  least,"  continued  the  Viceroy,  "  do  me  one 
favor.     Do  no:  .depart  now.     Take  two  months  for  re- 
flection on  Avhat  you  reject.     When  this    delay  shall 
have  expired,  I  will  again  put  this  question  to  you-— 
will  you  attach  yourself  to  my  person,  and  transfer  your 
allegiance  from  the  Bourbons  of  France  to  the  Bour- 
bons of  Spain  ?"     The  two  months  rajndly  flew  by,  and 
the  chivali'ic  St.  Denis  remained  firm  ^o  his  i)urpose. 
*'To  lose  such  a  man  as  you  are,"  said  the  Viceroy,  "is 
a  serious  trial  to  me,  but  I  admire,  even  in  its  exagge- 
ration, the  sentiment  by  which  you  are  actuated.     Fare- 
Well,  then,  and  may  God  bless  you  and  yours  forever. 
My  last  lio])e  is,  that  Dona  Maria  will  induce  you  to 
adopt  New  Spain  for  your  country.     With  regard  to 
the  commercial  relations,  which,  in  the  name  of  the 
governor  of  Louisiana,  you  have  asked  me  to  permit 
between  that  province  and  those  of  my  government,  tell 
him  that  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  accede  to  his  propo- 
sitiors."    The  preparations  of  St.  Denis  for  his  depart- 
lire  were  not  of  long  duration,  for  the  lady  of  his  heart 
Reckoned  to  him  from  the  walla  of  the  Presidio  del 


J.AT.LOT  AND  THE  GOVERNOR  OF  S.  CAOUIS. 


185 


Norte.  he  Mceroy  presented  him  with  a  large  sum 
in  ^  ki,  which,  he  gi'M.iouslv  said,  was  intended  to  pay 
his  '.  .'ddiug  expenses.  He  lUo  sent  him,  for  his  jour- 
ney, superb  Andal.sian  nW  Ifring  at  the  same 
time  that  he  shouhl  be  .  ,  an  officer  and  two 

dragoons  from  the  city  of  Mexico  to  Caouis. 

On  the  forced    departure  of  St.  Denis  for  the  city  of 
Mexico,  J;  Hot  been  set  at  ]i}>erty,  and  had  ever 

since  remained  at  Caouis  waiting  for  the  decision  of  the 
fate  of  St.  Denis.     He  was  known  to  be  a  pliysician, 
ami  as  he  was  the  only  one  within  a  radius  of  one  hun- 
dred miles,  he  Avas  soon  in  full  practice.     In  the  course 
of  a  few  months,  he  had  pi       rmed  so  many  cures  and 
rendered  so  numy  services,  that  he  was  lookcl  upon  as 
something  almost  sui)ernatural.     One  day  he  was  sum- 
moned to  the  house  of  the  governor,  Don  Gaspardo 
Anaya,  whither  he  Avent  witli  such  a  grim  smile  as 
clearly  indicated  that  his  feelings  were  in  a  violent  state 
of  excitement.     He  examined,  Avith  the  most  minute 
care,  the  body  of  tliat  dignitary,  and  on  his  being  asked 
his  oi)inion  on  the  situation  of  his  i)atient,  he  went  into 
the  most  luminous  exposition  of  his  disease,  and  de- 
clared that  if  a  certain  operation,  which  he  described 
witli  much  apjiarent  gusto,  was  not  performed,  the  sick 
man  would  certainly  die  Avithin  one  month.     "Well 
tlten,"  said  the  governor,  "  go  on  Avith  the  operation,  as 
soon  as  you  please."     "  It  shall  ncA^er  please  me,"  cried 
Jallot,  in  a  voice  of  thunder ;  and  shaking  his  fist  at 
the  enemy  of  St.  Denis,  whom,  in  his  turn,  he  had  now 
in  his  power,  he  doggedly  Avithdrew  from  the  house  of 
the  infuriated   governor.      .Eemonsti-ances,  entreaties, 
large  offerings  of  mone}',  threats,  could  not  bring  him 
hack.     At  last,  the  goA^ernor  swore  that  he  Avould  hang 
Jallot,  and  he  sent  some  soldiers  to  arrest  him.     But 
the  people,  who  loved  Jallot,  and  feared  being  deprived 


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186    RETURN  OF  ST.  DENIS  TO  THE  PRESIDIO  DEL  NORTE. 

of  his  'nvaluable  services,  rose  upon  the  soldiery,  beat 
them  off,  and  proclaimed  that  they  would  hang  the  gov- 
ernor himself,  if  he  pei-sisted  in  his  intention  of  hanging 
Jallot.  Matters  were  in  this  ticklish  situation,  when  St. 
Denis  returned  to  Caouis. 

In  company  with  his  friend  Jallot,  who  was  almost 
distracted  with  joy  at  his  safe  return,  St.  Denis  imme- 
diately waited  upon  the  governor,  to  whom  he  commu- 
mcated  a  letter  patent,  by  which  the  Viceroy  gave  au- 
thority to  St.  Denis  to  inflict  upon  Anaya,  for  his  abuse 
of  power,  any  punishment  which  he  might  think  proper 
provided  it  stopped  short  of  death.     The  terror  of  the 
governor  may  easily  be  conceived,  but  after  enjoying 
his  enemy's  confusion  for  a  short  time,  St.  Denis  tore  to 
pieces  the  Viceroy's  letter,  and  retired,  leaving  the  cul- 
pnt,  whom  he  despised,  to  the  castigation  of  heaven 
and  to  the  stings  of  his  own  conscience.     He  did  more : 
he  had  the  generosity  to  request  Jallot  to  perform  the 
operation  which  this  worthy  had  hitherto  so  obstinately 
refused  to  do.     The  surgeon,  who  was  mollified  by  his 
friend's  return,  consented,  not  however  without  terrific 
grumblings,  to  use  his  surgical  skill  to  relieve  the  bed- 
ridden governor,  and  he  admirably  succeeded  in  the 
difficult  operation  upon  which  the  fate  of  his  patient 
depended.     But  he  peremptorily  and  contemptuously 
refused  tlie  fee  that  was  tendered  him,  and  informed 
the  governor,  face  to  face,  and  with  his  roughest  tone, 
that  he  deserved  no  remuneration  for  the  cure,  because 
he  had  saved  his  life  merely  out  of  spite,  and  under  the 

firm  conviction  that  he  would  ere  long  die  on  the  gal- 
lows. 

Let  us  now  rapidly  proceed  with  St.  Denis  from 
Caouis  to  the  Presidio  del  Norte.  There  he  found  a 
great  change;— not  that  the  lady  of  his  love  was  not 
as  true  and  as  beautiful  as  ever,  bui  the  place  looked 


« 


iiiffii 


EMIGRATION  OF  THE  INDIANS  FROM  THE  PRESIDIO.       187 

lonesome  and  desolate.    The  five  Indian  villages  which 
formed  a  sort  of  belt  round  the  Presidio,  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  its  walls,  were  deserted.     A  gloomy  cloud 
had  settled  over  the  spot  which  he  had  known  so  brisk 
and  thriving :— and  Villescas  told  him,  with  the  great- 
est consternation,  that  the  Indians  had  withdrawn  on 
account  of  their  having  been  molested  by  the  Span- 
iards, who  used  to  go  to  their  villages,  and  there  com- 
mit every  sort  of  outrage ;   that  he  confessed  he  was 
much  to  be  blamed  for  not  having  checked  sooner  the 
disorderly  practices  of  his  subordinates ;  and  that  if  the 
Indians  persisted  in  their  intention  of  removing  away 
to  distant  lands,  the  government  at  Mexico,  whose  set- 
tled policy  it  was  to   conciliate  the  frontier  Indians, 
would  be  informed  of  what  had  happened,  and  would 
certainly  visit  him  with  punishment  for  officia]  miscon- 
duct, negligence  or  dereliction  of  duty.     "I  will  run 
after  the  fugitives,"  exclaimed  St.  Denis,  "  and  use  my 
best  efforts  to  bring  them  back."     "  Do  so,"  replied  the 
old  man,  "  and  if  you  succeed,  there  is  nothing  in  my 
power,  which  I  can  refuse   you."     On  hearing  these 
words,  which  made  his  heart  thrill,  as  it  were,  with  an 
electric  shock,  St.  Denis  vaulted  ou  his  good  Andalu- 
sian  steed,  and  started  full  speed  in  the  direction  the 
Indians  had  taken.     He  was  followed,  far  behind,  by 
Jallot,  who  came  trotting  along,  as  fast  as  he  could,  on 
a  restive,  capricious,  ill-looking  little  animal,  for  whom 
he  had  perversely  conceived  the  greatest  affection,  per- 
haps on  account  of  his  bad  qualities. 

The  Indians,  encumbered  with  women  and  children, 
had  been  progressing  very  slowly,  with  the  heavy  bag- 
gage they  were  carrying  with  them,  and  St.  Denis  had 
not  traveled  long  before  he  discovered  from  the  top  of 
a  hill,  the  moving  train ;  he  waved  a  white  flag  and  re- 
doubled his  speed  ;  the  Indians  stopped  and  tarried  for 


1  'j 


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1 

i  ■"  1 

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i 

188 


ST.  DENIS"  SPKKCll  TO  TIIK  INDIANS. 


(■    I 


|ri 


his  approftph.     Wlien  lio  cjvmo  nj>  to  thorn,  thoy  formed 
a  (l((n.s(^  vm'\e  around   liiiii,  niul  siliMitly  waited  for  his 
comimini(rati()ii.     "  My  friends  !"   said  St.  Denis,  "  1  am 
sent  hy  the  governor  of  tlie   Presidio  del  Norte,  to  tell 
you  that  he  ])l(>ad8  guilty  to  his  red  ehihlren  ;  he  con- 
fesses that  you  hav«i  hcen  long  laboring  under  griev- 
ances which  he  neglect(!d  to  redress,  and  that  you  have 
Ix'en  fre(jU(Mitly  ()i)pressed  l.y  those  whom  it  wjus  his 
duty  to  j;(!(!p  in  the  straight  i)ath  of  rectitude.     This  is 
a  frank  avowal,  as  you  see.     With  regai-d  to  the  gov- 
ernor himself,  you  know  that  he  has  always  Ikh^u  kind 
and  upright,  and  that,  i)ersonally  and  intentionally,  he 
has  never  wronged  anyone  of  you:  the  old  chief  has  been 
too  weak  with  his  own  people — that  is  all  you  can  say 
against  him.      Rut  now,   he  i)ledges  his  faith  that  no 
S])aniard  shall  be  allowed  to  set  his  foot  in  your  vil- 
lag(!s  without  your  e.v])ress  consent,  and  that  every  sort 
of  i)rotection  which  you  may  claim  shall  b(i  extended 
over  your  tribe.     Do  not,  therefore,  be  obstinate,  my 
friends,  and  do  not  keej)  shut  the  gates  of  your  hearts, 
wIkmi  the  pale-faced  chief,  with  his  gi-ay  hairs,  knocks 
for  admittance,    but  let  his   words  of  re|)entance  fall 
upon  your  souls,  like  a  refreshing  dew,  and  revive  your 
drooping  attachnu^nt  for  him.      Do  not  give  up  your 
her(Klitary  hunting-grounds,  the  cemeteries  of  your  fore- 
fathers, and  your  ancestral  viilagi's,  with  rash  precip- 
itancy.    Whither   are   you  going  ^     Your   native  soil 
do{!s  not  stick  to  your  feet,  and  it  is  the  only  soil  which 
is  always  ])leasant ;  and  the  wheat  which   grows  upon 
it,  is  the  only  grain  that  will  give  you  tasteful  bread  ; 
and  the  sun  which  shines  upon  it,  is  the  oidy  sun  whose 
rays  do  not  scorch;  and  the  refreshing  showers  which 
fall  upon  its  bosom,  would  elsewhere  be  impure  and 
brackish  watei-.     You  do  not  know  what  bitter  weeds 
grow  in  the  path  of  the  stranger !     You  do  not  know 


HE  PREVAILS  ON  THEM  TO  RETURN. 


189 


i 


how  heavily  tlie  air  he  Ijreatlies  weighs  on  his  lungs,  in 
distant  lands  !  And  what  distant  lands  will  you  be 
perniittcid  to  occupy,  without  fi^diting  desperate  battles 
with  tlic  nat' ms  uj)()n  whoso  territory  you  will  have 
trespassed  ?  When  you  will  l)e  no  longer  protected  by 
the  Spaniards,  how  will  you  resist  the  incessant  attacks 
of  the  ferocious  (Joinanch(;s,  who  carry  so  far  and  wide 
their  predatory  exjxMlitions  ?  Thus,  my  friends,  the 
evils  you  are  running  to,  are  certain,  and  behind  them, 
lie  concealed  in  ambush,  still  greater  ones,  which  the 
keenest  eye  among  you  can  not  detect.  IJut  what  have 
you  to  fear,  if  you  return  to  your  deserted  villages  ? 
There,  it  is  true,  you  Avill  meet  some  old  evils,  but  you 
are  accustomed  to  them.  That  is  one  advantage  ;  and, 
besides,  you  are  given  the  assurance  that  to  many  of 
them  a  I'iaiujdy  will  be  api)lied.  Why  not  make  the 
experiment,  and  see  how  it  will  work  ?  But  if  you 
persist  in  going  away,  and  if  you  fare  for  the  woi-se, 
your  situation  will  li,.  irretrievable.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  you  return,  as  I  advise  you,  should  the  governor 
of  the  Presidio  not  keep  his  word,  and  should  you  not 
be  satisfied,  it  Avill  always  be  time  enough  to  resume 
your  desperate  enter])rise  of  emigration." 

This  is  the  substance  of  what  St.  Denis  told  his  red 
auditory,  and  the  Indians,  Avho,  perhaps,  were  beginning 
to  regret  the  ste^)  they  had  taken,  spontaneously 
mai-cluul  back,  with  St.  Denis  riding  triumphantly  at 
their  head.  They  soon  met  Jallot,  jogging  along  with 
imj)atience,  cursing  and  si)urring  his  favorite  with  des- 
perate energy.  When  he  saw  that  St.  Denis,  about 
whom  he  was  extremely  uneasy,  was  safe,  and  luid  suc- 
ceeded so  well  in  his  embassy,  he  gave  a  shout  which 
made  the  welkin  ring ;  but  he  was  so  astonished  at  his 
own  doing,  and  at  the  unusual  sound  which  had  so 
strangely  issued  from  his  throat,  that  he  looked  round 


ti!!l 


V  l| 


ti:- 


1    i 


!  > 


^^B 

■ 

^^H'  ] 

^^^^^^K' ' 

w'' ''  ■! 

■Hi                        t 

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i  1 


MARRIAGE  OF  ST.  DENIS, 

like  a  man  who  was  not  very  sure  of  his  own  identity. 
Those  wlio  knew  him  well,  remained  convinced  that  this 
shout  hud  settled  in  his  mind,  m  the  most  extraordinary 
event  of  his  life. 

Now,  all  is  joy  again  at  the  Presidio,  and  the  smile 
of  contentment  has  lighten!  up  the  face  of  the  country 
for  miles  around.     From  the  Spanish  battlements  ban- 
ner wave  gayly,  the  cannons  crack  their  sides  with 
innocent  roaring,  nmskets  are  discharged  in  every  di- 
rection, but  from  their  tu>)es,  there  do  not  sally  any 
murderous  balls ;  the  whole  population,  white  and  red, 
is  dressed  in  its  best  a})parel ;  whole  sheep,  oxen,  and 
buftaloes  are  roasted  in  the  Homeric  style;  immense 
tables  are  spread  in  halls,  bowers,  and  under  shady 
trees ;  whole  casks  of  Spanish  wines  and  of  the  Mexican 
p^ilque  are  broached ;  the  milk  and  honey  of  the  land 
flow  with  unrestrained  abundance ;  the  Indians  shout, 
dance,  and  cut  every  sort  of  antics.     Well  may  all  re- 
joice, for  it  is  the  wedding-day  of  St.  Denis  and  Dona 
Maria !     Here  tlie  long  and  beautiful  procession  which 
is  slowly  moving  to  the  rustic  parochial  church,  might 
be  described  with  some  effect,  but  I  leave  the  tiisk  to 
future  novel  writers.     I  now  dismiss  this  e})i8ode,  and 
only  regret  that  I  have  not  done  it  the  justice  ivhich  it 
deserves.     Let  me  add,  however,  that,  after  an    bsence 
of  two  yeaivi,  St.  Denis,  having  returned  to  Mobile,  with 
Don  Juan  de  Villcu-as,  the  uncle  of  his  wife,  was  ap- 
pointed,  in  reward  for  the  discharge  of  his  perilous  mis- 
sion, a  captain  in  the  French  army. 

On  the  recommendation  of  Crozat,  another  undertak- 
ing was  made  to  open  co?nmercial  relations  with  the 
Spanish  provinces  of  Mexico.  Three  Canadians,  Delery, 
Lafr^ni6re  and  Beaujeu,  were  intrusted  with  a  consid- 
erable amount  of  merchandise,  went  up  Red  Iliver,  and 
endeavored  to  reach   the  province  of  Nuevo  Leon, 


ARRIVAL  OF  DE  L'EPINAY. 


191 


through  Texas ;— but  this  attempt  was  as  unsuccessful 
as  the  one  made  by  St.  Denis. 

On  the  <Jth  of  March,  1717,  three  ships  belonging  to 
Crozat  arrived  with  three  companies  of  infantry  and 
fifty  colonists  with  De  I'Epinay,  the  new  governor,  and 
Hubert,  the  king's  commissary.  L'Epinay  brought  to 
Bienville  the  decoration  of  the  cross  of  St.  Louis,  and  a 
royal  patent  conceding  to  him,  by  mean  tenure  in  soc- 
cage,  Horn  Island,  on  the  coast  of  the  present  state  of 
Alabama.  Bienville  had  demanded  in  vain  that  it  be 
erected  m  his  favor,  into  a  nolde  fief 

Hardly  had  L'Epinay  landed,  when  he  disagreed  with 
Bienville,  and  the  colony  was  again  distracted  by  two 
Actions,  with  L'Epinay  on  one  side  and  Bienville  on 
the  other.     Tliere  were  not  at  that  time  in  Louisiana 
more  than  seven  hundred  souls,  including  the  military 
and  thus  far,  the  efforts  of  Crozat  to  increase  the  popu' 
lation  had  proved  miserably  al»ortive.     In  vain  had  his 
agents  resorted  to  every  means  in  their  power,  to  trade 
with  the  Spanish  provinces,  either  by  land  or  by  sea. 
either  legally  or  illegally  ;-several  millions'  worth  of 
merchandise  which  he  had  sent  to  Louisiana,  with  the 
hope  of  their  finding  their  way  to  Mexico,  had  been 
lost,  for  want  of  a  market.     Li  vain  also  had  expensive 
researches  been  made  for  mines,   and  pearl  fisheries. 
As  to  the  trading  in  furs  with  the  Indians,  it  hardly 
repaid  the  cost  of  keeping  factories  among  them.    Thus 
all  the  schemes  of  Crozat  had  failed.     The  miserable 
European  population,  scattered  over  Louisiana,  was  op- 
posed to  his  monopoly,  and  contributed,  as  much  as 
they  could,  to  defeat  his  plans.     As  to  the  officers,  thev 
were  too  much  engrossed  by  their  own  interest  and  too 
intent  upon  their  daily  quarrels,  to  mind  any  thing  else 
There  was  but  one  thing  which,  to  the  despauing  Cro- 


193 


CROZAT  SURRENDERS  HIS  CHARTER. 


'<  J  I 


IT' 

i7i  'I 


zat,  seemed  destined  to  thrive  in  Louisiana — that  was, 
the  spirit  of  discord. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  August,  1717,  Cro- 
zat,  finding  that  under  the  new  governor,  L'Epinay, 
things  were  likely  to  move  as  lamely  as  before,  ad- 
dressed to  the  king  a  petition,  in  which  he  informed  his 
Majesty,  that  his  strength  was  not  e'jual  to  the  enter- 
prise he  had  undertaken,  and  that  he  felt  himself  rap- 
idly sinking  under  the  weight  which  rested  on  his  shoul- 
ders, and  from  which  he  begged  his  Majesty  to  relieve 
him.  On  the  ISth  of  the  same  mouth,  the  Prince  of 
Bourbon  and  Marshal  D'Estrees  accepted,  in  the  name 
of  the  king,  Crozat's  proposition  to  give  up  the  charter 
which  he  had  obtained  under  the  preceding  reign. 

Against  his  adverse  l\ite,  Crozat  had  struggled  for 
five  years,  but  his  efforts  had  been  gradually  slackening, 
in  proportion  with  the  declining  health  of  his  daughter. 
The  cause  of  his  gigantic  enterprise  had  not  escaped  her 
penetration,  and  she  had  even  extorted  from  him  a  full 
confession  on  the  subject.  In  the  first  two  years  of  her 
father's  quasi  sovereignty  over  Louisiana,  she  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  excitement  of  the  paternal  breast,  and 
had  been  ])uoyed  up  by  hope.  But  although  her  father 
tried,  with  the  utmost  care,  to  conceal  from  her  ihe  ill 
success  of  his  operations,  she  soon  discovered  enough  to 
sink  her  down  to  a  degree  of  despair,  sufficient  to  un- 
dermine in  her,  slowly  but  surely,  the  frail  foundations 
of  life ;  and  when  Crozat,  losing  all  courage,  abandoned 
to  the  tossing  waves  of  adversity,  the  ship  in  which  he 
had  embarked  the  fortune  of  his  house,  his  daughter 
could  hardly  be  called  a  being  of  this  world.  On  the 
very  day  that  he  had  resigned  the  charter,  on  Mdiich 
reposed  such  ambitious  hopes,  and  had  come  back,  bro- 
ken-hearted, to  his  desolate  home,  he  was  imprinting  a 
kiss  on  his  daughter's  pale  forehead,  and  pressing  her 


DEATH  OP  HIS  DAUGHTEa  I93 

attenuated  Im.uls  within  lii.s  convulsive  one.,  wlipn  her 
s<n.l  suddenly  di,sengaoe<l  itself  iVom  Iku- l>ody,  carrying. 
a^yay  the  last  paternal  end, race  to  the  foot  of  the  aT- 
nui^hty's  throne. 

Crozat  lai.l  her  gently  baek  on  the  pillow,  from 
wluch  she  had  half  risen,  smoothed  her  clothes,  j<,ined 
her  hngers  ^s  it  were  in  prayer,  and  sleeked  her  hair 
Av.th  the  palm  of  h,s  hands,  behaving  apparently  with 
the  great,.t  composure.     Not  a  sound  of  complaint,  not 
a  s^mek  of  anguish  was  heard  from  him:  his  breast  did 
iK.t  become  convulsed  with  so],s  ;  not  a  muscle  moved 
in  his  face      He  looked  as  if  he  had  been  changed  into 
a  statue  of  stone :  his  rigid  limbs  seemed  to  move  au- 
ton.atou-l.ke  ;  his  eyeballs  became  fixed  in  their  sockets 
and  his  eyelids  lost  their  power  of  contraction.     Calmly' 
but  with  an  unearthly  voice,  he  gave  all  the  necessaiy 
orders  for  the  fmu-ral  of  his  daughter,  and  even  went 
into  the  examination  of  the  most  minute  details  of  these 
melancholy  preparations.     Tliose   who  saw  him,  said 
that  he  looke<l  like  a  dead  man,  performing  with  uncon- 
scious regularity,  all  the  functions  of  lifb      It  wis  so 
appallmg,  that   his   servants,  and   the   few  attendino- 
friends,  who  had  remained  attached  to  his  fallino-  fj. 
tune,  receded  with  involuntary  shudder  from  his  ap- 
proach,  and  from  the  touch,  of  his  hand,  it  was  so  icy 
cold  !     At  last  the  gloomy  procession  reached  the  sol- 
emn place_  of  repose.     The  ]>oor  father  had  followed  it 
on  foot  with  his  hand  resting  on  his  daughter's  coffin 
as  If  afraid  that  what  remained  of  the  being  he   had 
1ov(h1  so  ardently,  miglit  fiee  away  from  him.     When 
the  tomi,  was  sealed,  he  waved  away  the  crowd.     Tiiev 
dared  not  disobey  when  such  grief  spoke,  and  Crozat 
reniamcMl  ah>ne.     For  a  while  he  stood  starinc.,  as  in  a 
nmce,  at  his  daughter's  tomb :  then,  a  slight  twitch  of 
tlie  muscles  of  the  fac(>  and  a  convulsive  quiver  of  the 

N 


iilifi 


I  I 


i  I 


i    '1 


'!        'I 

(I 

ll 

'1 

i  i 


1 

I 

1 
I 

i 

i:      ,i 

1 

I 


^  ll"l 


194 


OROZAT'S  DEATH— CONCLUSION". 


lips  miglit  have  been  seen.  Sensibility  had  returned  ! 
He  sunk  on  his  knees,  and  from  tliose  eyes,  so  long  dry, 
there  descended,  as  from  a  thunder-cloud,  a  big  heavy 
drop,  on  the  cold  sepulchral  marble.  It  Avas  but  one 
solitary  tear,  the  condensed  essence  of  such  grief  as  the 
human  body  can  not  bear  ;  and  as  this  pearly  fragment 
of  the  dew  of  mortal  agony  fell  d(nvn  on  the  daughter's 
sepulchre,  the  soul  of  the  father  took  its  flight  to  heaven. 
Crozat  Avas  no  more  ! 

"  My  task  ia  done— my  song  hath  ceased— my  them» 

Has  died  into  an  echo :  it  is  fit 

The  spell  sliould  break  of  tliis  protracted  dream— 

The  torch  shall  be  extinguished  wliicli  hath  lit 

My  midiiiglit  lamp— and  what  is  writ,  is  writ,— 

Would  it  were  worthier  I    But  I  am  not  now 

Tliat  whicli  I  have  been— and  my  visions  flit 

Less  palpably  before  me — and  the  glow, 
Wliieh  in  my  spirit  dwelt,  is  fluttering,  faint  and  low." 

"  Farewell !  a  word  that  must  be,  and  hath  been— 
A  sound  whii^h  makes  us  linger — yet — farewell  1" 


Note. — Crozat  died  in  1738,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three.  He  had  sev- 
eral sons  and  one  daughter,  Marie  Anne  Crozat,  who  married  Le  Comte 
D'Evreux.  I  hope  I  shall  be  forgiven  for  having  slightly  deviated  from 
historical  truth  in  the  preceding  pages  with  regard  to  particulars  which  I 
deemed  of  no  importance.  For  instance,  I  changed  the  name  of  Crozat's 
daughter.  AVIiy  ?  Terhaps  it  was  owing  to  some  capricious  whim — 
perhaps  there  is  to  me  some  spell  in  the  name  of  Andrea. 


■ill 


I 


I' 


-  If' 


LOUISIANA; 


.  ',.(1 


3t9   Qistorj) 


AS 


A    FRENCH    COLONY. 


tEBUU   COGNOSOEKE   CAUSA& 


SECOND  SERIES  OF  LECTUKES. 


iiU 


I  i»  *  'i ' 


Mi 


lis 


-Pf  " 


\r  • 


9  ff 


la  "1"'^ 


J  f  J 


«       » 


•• .  •  ■  imjisiAiAr; 


m 


HISTORY  AS  A  FHENCH  COLONY. 


FIRST  LECTURE.  .    .'• 

,        *        .      •    •  ■ 

OEBAWOIf  OF  «   RoYAt    BaNK    AN,,    OP    THE    MtSSISSTPri    COMPANY- EFFECTS    Pao 

■DUCED    IN    FUANX'K    BV    THOSE    I.V.SnTUT.ONS-W.LI,  HoPES  ENTERTAINED  FROM  T„« 

C0LON..AT...N  OK  Lor..S.ANA-rrS   TWCO,.,.  and   opposite  DESCUPTION-HlSTOBt 

0#  Law  FROM  HIS  Birth  to  nis  Death, 

^  Nothing  could  he  more  Insignificant  than  Louisiana 
in  the  estimation  of  lier  European  rulers,  when  Crozat's 
charter  l)ecame  one  of  those  things  that  are  among  the 
past.  But  by  one  of  those  rai)id  transitions  so  common 
m  liuman  affairs,  she  was  suddenly  destined  to  exercise 
a  wonderful  inlluence  over  the  powerful  kingdom  of 
wluch  she  was  the  weak  progeny.  In  her  very  name 
there  was  soon  to  be  discovered  something  as  dazzlincr 
to  the  imagination,  as  the  richest  diamond  is  to  the  eye 
of  woman.  A  subtile  conjurer  arose,  who,  waving  aloft 
his  magical  wand,  and  using  that  name,  then  so  ob- 
scure,  to  give  more  force  to  his  incantations,  prepared 
for  France  an  intoxicating  draught  which  made  her 
reel  as  in  drunkenness,  and  nearly  prostrated  her  to  the 
ground,  despite  of  her  ever-revi\dng  energies.  The  star 
of  John  Law  had  risen  on  the  hoidzon  of  France:  and 
the  Company  of  the  Indies,  the  great  Mississippi  scheme, 


1 


n'M 


f^'      'isM 


i 


^ti-ll. 


198 


CREATION  OF  THE  WESTERN  COMPANY. 


Of  Which  he  was  the  chief  projector,  the  destinies  of 
France  and  of  Lou^'siana,  the  expected  results  of  such 
commerce  a.  the  worhl  had  never  known  before,  the 
i-eports  ot  hidden  treasures  concealed  in  inexhaustible 
mines  ot  silver  and  gold,  were  to  be  indissolubly  united 
m  tiie  annals  of  history  and  of  folly. 
^    On  the  13th  of  August,  1717,  the  situation  of  affaire 
m  the  colony  of  Louisiana  hanng  been  brought  before 
the  Council  of  State,  at  Versailles,  it  was  decided  by 
that  body,   presided    over  by  the  Duke  of  Orleans, 
Regeiit  of  France  during  the  minority  of  Louis  the 
AVth,  that,    "for  many   essential    reasons    Avhich  it 
wouJ  .    be    superfluous    to  recite,    because   they  were 
known  to  every  one,  it  was  to  the  interest  of  Trance 
.hat  the  colony  of  Louisiana  should  ])e  fostered  and 
preserved."--Suchwere  the  terms  of  that  decree,  which 
went  on,  saying   that,  "  whereas  it  had  been  demon- 
strated, in  the  case  of  Crozat,  that  the  colonization  of 
the  i3rov.nce  of  Louisiana  was  an  undertaking  beyond 
the  strength  of  any  private  individual :  and  whereas  this 
unciertaking  would  not  become  the  King,  on  account 
of  the  commercial  details  which  were  its  inseparable 
concomi  ant,  it  was  resolved  that  Louisiana  should  be 
ntrusted  to  the  administration  of  a  company."    From 
this    resolution   sprang  the   creation  of  the   Western 
Company,  or  Company  of  the  Lidies,  .vhose  charter  of 
incorporation   was   registered   by  the  parliament  of 
Pans,  on  the  6th  of  Seiitember,  1717. 

Thus  the  monopoly  granted  to  Cimat  ceased,  mer.ly 
to  be   ransterred  to  a  Company.     The  government  of 

worf  of  T  '"  "  ""'"^"^  ''^  "^  ^^^S-aro^y,  and  the 
^voi.t  of  all  a  commercial  oligarchy,  an  association  of 
cunning  stockjobbers,  of  iob]>ing  directors,  and  of  silly 
dupes  in  the  shape  of  stockholders.  There  were  not 
men  wanting  at  the  time  who  foresaw  that  the  creation 


«  '! 


YOUTH  OF  JOHN  LAW. 


199 


of  tha.  famous  Company  of  the  Indies,  of  whicli  Law 
was  the  soul,  and  which  ])ecame  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar schemes  that  ever  flourished  in  France,  was  destined 
to  impart  to  the  colonization  of  Louisiana  only  the  short- 
lived api)earance  of  galvanic  vitality,  but  that,  ending 
soon  as  all  delusions  do,  it  would,  in  its  collapse  and 
bursting,  be  fatal  to  the  speculators  engaged  in  the  ex- 
periment, and  be  productive  of  the  most  mischievous 
results  to  France,     Some  of  these  readers  of  coming 
events  attem])ted  in  vain  to  warn  their  rellow-citizens 
against  the  evils  which  they  i)redicted.     But  the  weak 
voice  of  individual  reprobation  was  drowned  in  the 
loud  acclamation  of  the  multitude.     A\Tien  the  current 
of  the  puldic  mind  runs  impetuously  in  one  direction, 
when  ^vaH  it  ever  checked  ?     It  sweeps  furiously  over 
such  obstacles  as  wisdom  or  patriotism  may  interpose, 
and  it  even  derives  fresh  impetus  from  the  very  attempt 
to  arrest  its  course. 

Who  Avas  John  LaAv,  to  whom  the  use  of  the  name 
of  Louisiana  was  destmed  to  give  so  much  celel)rity  in 
the  beginning  of  the  18th  century  ?     In  the  romantic 
city  of  Edinburgh,  the  pride  of  Scotland,  he  was  born 
m  1671.     A  checquered  and  a  singularly  varied  life  his 
was  doomed  to  be,  as  checquered  and  varietl  as  the 
changeful  ap])earaiu'e  of  those  ever-flitting  clouds  which 
chase  each  other  through  tlie  fields  of  heaven,  now  as- 
suming fantastic  shapes,  now  dyed  in  splendor  with  the 
morning  or  evening  rays  of  the  sun,  or  black  with  the 
conce])tion  of  coming  storms.     Gay  halls  and  gloomy 
cells  there  are  in  the  palace  of  Ilolyrood,  within  sight 
of  which  that  ol)scure  child  was  cradled,  and  of  which 
the  projecting  battlements  so  often  darkened  Avitli  their 
shade  his  curling  locks,  as  he  indulged  in  the  gambols 
of  his  age.     When  in  his  youth  he  strolled  through  that 
antiquated  abode  of  departed  royalty,  and  there  gazed 


!.i| 


!,     1 


i'i%i\ 


*    t| 


'      . .'  1   liiR  <i 


!  <    I 


is 


200 


with  mixed  fee]ino-s  of  iidmii 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  LAW. 

ation  and  awe  at  the  hoary 


relics  ot  time,  did  any  i)roi)]ietic  s])irit  sliadow  forth  to 


him  the  gay  liall 


and  gloomy  cells  of  his  future  exist- 


ence, when  he  should  attain  to  manhood  ?  The  boy 
had  in  him  the  seeds  (.f  exalted  talent  and  over-wrou-dit 
passion— talent  and  passion !— Those  unrulj-  steeds 
upon  which,  when  seated,  man  not  unfrequently  speeds 
away  m  a  mad  career,  faster  than  he  chooses,  whither 
he  heeds  not  or  cares  not,  and  ofteuer  for  his  ruin  than 
his  good,  if  he  does  not  check  them  with  the  reins  of 
morality  or  the  curl)  of  religion. 

John   Law,  or  Jessamy  Law,  or  Beau  Law,  as  his 
playmates  called  him,  for  he  was  as  handsome  as  a 
mother's  heart  could  wish  him,  was  the  son  of  a  gold- 
smith  or  luinkei-.     Did  this   circumstance  have  any  in- 
fluence on  his  future  career,  and  did  he  inhei'it  his  pas- 
sion for  the  precious   metals  and  for  hanking  opera- 
tions ?     lie  \vas  educated  in  Edinl)urgh,  and  he  is  said 
to  liave  l)een  no  mean  adept  in  versification,  if  not  in 
poetry.     ]5ut   he   soon    intuitively  discovered   that  a 
scril)l)ler's  lot  nas  not  very  enviah'le,  and  following  the 
natural  hent  of  liis  genius,  he  became  so  remarkalrly 
proficient  in  mat]u;matics  that  he  could,  with  the  great- 
est  facility,  soh^e  the  most  difficult  i)roblems  of  that  ab- 
struse science,     lie  also  devoted  his  attention  to  the 
study  of  trade  and  manufactures,  and  made  himself 
master  of  the  jn'inciples  of  public  and  private  credit. 
He  minutely  investigated  the  theory  and  practice  of 
taxatK  ',,  and  all  matters  constituting  the  arcana  of  po- 
htieal  economy.     Such  were  the  deep   laid  and  solid 
foundations  of  his  future  eminence. 

But  John  Law  was  a  votary  of  j»leasurc  as  well  as  of 
study,  and  whenever  he  emerged  from  liis  closet,  it  wm 
to  attend  the  gainl)ling-table,  the  racing-ground,  and  to 
indulge  in  convivial  and  amoi-ous  exploits.    To  some 


FLIGHT  OF  LAW  TO  THE  CONTmENT. 


201 


Ai    ,  f 


men,  excitement  of  some  sort  or  other  is  the  very  breath 
of  life.     It  is  the  air  Avhich  inflates  and  exi)ands  their 
intellectual  lungs.     Wit]-,  )ut  it,  the  How  of  theij-  mind 
would  stagnate.     Such  Avas  John  Law.     An  orphan  at 
the  age  of  fourteen,  free  from  paternal  control,  and  the 
heir  to  an  ample  fortune,  he  had  within  his  reach  all 
the  means  of  vicious  indulgence,  and  sadly  did  he  avail 
himself  of  them  to  barter  away  the  very  altars  of  his 
househ(>ld  gods.     In  1004,  goa(led  on  by  the  desire  of 
extending  his  sphere  of  enjojnients,  he  paid  a  visit  to 
London,  that  great  center  of  attraction,  wliere  his  wit, 
his  graces,  his  manly  beauty,  his  numerous  attainments,' 
gained  him  admittance  into  the  best  society.     There, 
however,  his  profusions  of  every  sort,  his  love  for  deep 
play,  and  his  gallantries  soon  rid  him  of  his  patrimonial 
lands  of  Lauriston  and  Randleston.     Their  broad  acres 
Avere  convert^'d  into  guineas  which  melted  a\A'ay  in  the 
hands  of  prodigality,  and  thus,  in  early  life,  through  his 
own  folly,  John  Law  stands  before  us  a  ]Kinkrui)t!l 

That  bankrupt  Avas  also  an  adulterer,  and  the  ac- 
knoAAdedged  paramour  of  a  IMrs.  Lawrence.     That  in- 
trigue brought  him  into  colli-ion  with  a  Mr.  Wilson, 
whom  he  killed  in  a  tluel.     Tried  for  murder,  he  was 
found  guilty,  sentenced  to  dcatli,  and  pardoned  by  the 
crown.     lUit  an  appeal  Avas  taken  by  a  brother  of  the 
deceased,  and  the  appeal  Avas  jiending  before  the  King'a 
Bencli,  Avhen  Law,  not  deeming  it  prudent  to  await  the 
result,  escaped  from  his  prison,  and  fled  to  the  continent, 
law  Avas  then  twenty-three  years  of  age.    A  bankrupt 
an  adulterer,  a  murderer,  and  an  exiled  outlaw  I     If  to 
feel  is  t(>  live,  LaAv  had  thus  gone  through  an  intensity 
and  variety  of  feelings,  which,  in  the  spring  of  youtli, 
must  have  made  his  soul  and  mind  as  gray  with  u'^-e,  aj 
if  over  them  a  century  had  passed. 
To  Holland,  Law  retired  for  au  asylum :— Le  could  not 


»:  ( 


!:,« 


i  ;,'! 


I'  1^ 


ttal  t 


i:|iii  '- 


i    ! 

m 


'       ill 


LAWH  UK'I'L'RN  TO  KDINnUROH. 


Imvc  iriii<!(!u  choice  in<>r«!  (ion^rciiiul  to  liis  tji.st(!H,  jind  no 
j)I;ic('  ill  IOnn)|)(>  could  nllonl  more  fjiciiitics  to  his  t'livor- 
itc  iIlv(•sti^^'lti(>Ils  on  fradc,  liiiuiKuiM,  puhlic  cmdit,  and 
polilicjil  ('conouiy,  fli;iii  iliiit  country,  wliicli,  of  uU 
ofliciN,  wiis  |)cculi;irly  indclttcd  1o  tliciu  for  its  iialioiud 
ini|tortjinc(',  and  even  for  its  cxislcucc.  Duriuj^''  liis  rctsi- 
dcncc  tlicr(^,  he  took  ciii-c  to  iiti]»rovc  every  o])|)oituMity 
to  make  hinisel'' rhorou_<;'IiIy  nciiuainted  with  the  consti- 
tution and  tli(!  pnictical  op(!rutioii  of  tho  \hu\k  of  Ani- 
Hterdani. 


.John  Law  was  not  tln^  man. 


even  in  a  loreijjii  coiui- 


try,  to  remain  huiij;'  witliout  friends  or  ])roteclors,  and 
he  soon  contrived  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  liiitish 


l\esi(h'nt  in  IloUand,  of  whom  ln>  h 


)ecani((  the  secretai 


Huf  the  |)hh'< 


■y- 


,niatic  temperament  of  the  Dutcii  not  [)re- 


H«Mitmu:  him  with  the  materials  which  In^  wislied  for  the 
accomi)lishiiii'nt  of  such  schemes  as  w(!re  ripenini;'  in  his 
brain,  and  havin^Mvceiv(>d  tho  assurance  that  he  had  no 


1 


on<;-er  any  thini;'  to  fear  on  account  of  the  death  (»f 


ilson,  lu'  retui'ned  to  Mdinhuriih  in    17(10,  and  in  tl 


le 


following:  y(>ar  he  pnUlished  a  pami)hlet  under  this  title: 
roposals  and  Reasons  for  estahlishini;  a  Council  of 


r 


Trade."     Tlu'   j)roverl>ial    i)i'udenc(!  of  the   Scotcl 


t'eived   this  work   with  coldi 


U'SS. 


Not 


1  ro- 


(liscoura<;'ed  hi 


ih 


1 


IIS  failure.  Law  sliowed  the  remarkahle  aptitude  which 
he  ha<l  to  possess  himself  of  the  favor  of  all  those  whom 
]ie  tlii>nuht  proiK'rto  i)ropitiate,  and  lu^i^ained  thesu|>. 
I'ort  o{'  the  Duke  of  Ar^vle,  liis  sons,  tlu!  Manpiis  of 
Jioni  and  Lord  Archibald  C'amiiliell,  the  JManpiis  of 
Tweeddale,  and  other  jiersons  of  rank  and  distinction. 

I'lider  tli(>ir  j)atrona';(>,  he  iiresented  to  the  Scottish 
jiarlianu'iit,  in  ITOA,  a  i)lan  for  removiui,''  the  dilliciilti 
under  which  the  kiiii,nl<.m  had  then  heeii  suHeriiii,^  from 
Ihe  scarcity  of  money  and  from  the  stojipai^a'  of  pay- 
ment*} by  the  bank ;  and  iu  illustrutiou  of  liis  viuws  oa 


03 


HIS  SCIIEMK  OF  A  BANK. 


203 


that  Hul>joct,  ho  gave  publicity  to  anotlier  work,  enti- 
tled "Money  and  Trade  co!i.sidered,  vvitli  a  proposal  for 
supply iiiir  the  nation  with  money."  What  could  be 
HK.re  tempting!  and  what  a  pity  that  this  grand  pro- 
jeetor  did  not  live  in  this  ])rojeeting  age  of  ours !  Like 
other  men,  h<!  came  too  socm. 

The  proposal  of  Law,  says  one  of  Iiis  biograi)her3, 
was  that  commissioners,  to  l)e  appointed  by  an  act,  un- 
der the  conti-ol  of  ])ar]iament,  sho.    1  be  empc-.vered  to 
issue  notes,  «uther  in  the  way  of  loan,  at  orairuiry  inte- 
rest, upon  landed  secuiity,  provided  the  debt  should 
not  exceed  half,  or  at  the  most,  two  thirds  of  the  value 
of  the  lands,  or  upon  land  pledges,  redeema])le  within 
a  certam  peiiod,  to  the  full    value  of  the  land :— or 
lastly,  upon  sale  ir.-(Ml(.emably  to  the  amount  of  the 
pi-ice  agreed  upon.     l»apcr  money  thus  issued,  would, 
Jie  conceived,    b(>  ecpial   in  value    to   gold  and   silver 
com   of   th(^    same   denomination,  and  might  even  be 
preferred  to  th(^  metals,  as  not  being  like  them  liable  to 
tall  m  value.     Jiut  this  scheme,  though  i)owerfully  sup- 
l)orted  by  the  court  party,  and  by  the  influence  of  such 
men  as  tin,  J)uke  of  Argyle  and  others,  was  rejected  by 
the  ])arliament  on  the  ground  that,  "to  establish  any 
kmd  of  pai)er  credit,  so  as  to  oblige  it  to  pjiss,  n-as  an 
im])roper  expedient  for  the  nation."     Wise  Scotchmen » 
Thc^y  also  ai)prehende(l  that  if  Law's  plan  wer^  adopted, 
all  the  estates  of  the  kingdom  would  thereby  be  brought 
to  a  complete  dependence  ui)on  the  bank,  or  collatendly 
iil)on  the  government,  the  bank  itself  ])eing  dependent 
upon  the  government.     It  is  remarkable  that  more  than 
a  century  after,  in  1827  and  183;?,  Law's  plan,  or  one 
very  similar,  was  put  into  operation  in  Louisiana,  under 
the  titles  of  "The  CltlAc.^  Bank"  and  "TheConsoli- 
dated  Assouiatiou  of  the  Planters  of  Louisiana,"  aud 


•  lil; 


:l    ,i 


204 


T,AW   liK'I'iriiNM  'I'o  'I'lIK  (loNTINKNT. 


Ifi 


iijJHUii 


u 


kg 


lli.'ii  i(.  pi'iHliitTil  I  he  s.'iiiic  (liMMMli-diiM  cIU'cIm  Mini  woro 
»nli»'i|itii»Ml  l.y  I  III'  S.'nI.li  in   I  V(i:t. 

Il  s(M)ii  lit'cjiinc  cN  idnil    I..    Lmu   I  IiiiI  Iii:^  c iliMiicti 

ninl  lli(«  I'jinlisli  \\i'u>  II,. I.  :;iiHici(.iilly  iiii.-iniiKil  i\  <«  lo 
iillow  liiin  (o  |(>iii|il  Ihi'iii  lull)  Imm  i;i';;inlic  «v\|ii'iim('iils, 
Mild  (li;il  (o  Im'IIit  hit  rnitiiiic,  il  Wfis  llcccss.iry  tliMt  Ik! 
mIiouIiI  mccIv  clMrwIii'ic  \\>\-  iiinir  |tli;ililr  iiisl  niiiii'iiN. 
An'urdiiif'ly  lie  rt'liiniiil  |o  ih,.  nuiliiiml,  uliillnT  Id, 
UM  I'ltllow  liiiii,  ;is  ln>  Mil  JiKi'  ;iii  i:;iiis  Inl  iiii-i,  iVoiii  pl.Mco 
fi>  pljici'.  Now  \\i<  SIT  liini  ;i  iii.Mii  i>r  Ijisliii.n  In  Uimih- 
scIm,  wliiTC  IiIm  I'oiiU.'iiil  siicri'ss  mI  pl.iy  liioii^lil  liiiii 
iiilit  uiilMvorHMi'  n.'loiirly.  'riiin  In-  iIm-sIks  inio  \\w 
VoilcN  of  rjirlM,  wlii'iT  II   Is  s;ii(|  (IimI.  lie  liil  Iih|iu'('(I    lilt* 

M'(';ilili<    slill     lilolC    foM^ltU'lHtllS 

('  li'.iininif- 


U'MlUr    CmIK'iI     !'';ir<>.   Mild     11 

IllJlll  ;il    nnis;r|s  |»\    I 


lis  viit>niiiiii-i  <';ilii'-i  ;il    III 


ImI. 


tioii,  liH  liisinii; 


\i\  His  <.>;r;ici'rnl  pcrsnn,  I  In-  cliiirnis  ol"  jil-^  i'(iii\ crsji- 
iliii;;-  iii!iiinci-i,  \\iTi>  r.'ipidly  l-n  oriiii;'  liin 
Mst'ciil  Into  ll'c  hl'dn'l  iT^'ioii  «>!'  sncirl  \ ,  wiii'ii  |)\\r- 
.yviisoii,  (lie  Lii'iilrii.'inl  or  Miiii^lrr  ol'  roller",  llioii^lit 
|)i'o|)t'r  lo  ('III  shoM  111;  liiiillaiil  »;ir('(M',  ;iiid  loonier 
lilm  oiil  of  Ihr  kiii'tdoiii,  w  illi  this  pllli\  ohscrN.'it 
"TliMt  St'ol   is  /,),»  ,\iy>,  I  I   ;il    III 


ion. 


r  ,'j,.'iiii<'  w  liifli  li(>   h;is   ni- 


<rodin'(>d. 


II. 


ft'lirrd  to   (ii'iicv  ;i,  w  licrc    || 


('  !.;;i\('  ;iii  oxtrnor 


di- 


li.'iry  proot'ol'lils  power  of  cxI  rncllii^'  iiioii(>v  iVoni   (lui 
dr\est    sonrei's.  li\   ;;;iiiiiii!;'   \\\\'y;c  sums   ;it    tin-   cxpi'iisc 


ol"  llie  sohiM-liiindi-d  ;iiid  »lo>.i'-lis|(>d 
ritjiliic  liltic  i'o!iinioii\\(\'illli.      In  (ieiio;;  ;iii 
} 


cili/ens  of  tli.'it   1)11- 


1  In   \ 


(Mlli'(> 


it>  U'MVc  siudi  ('\id(Mi.'e  of  |ii  ;  lnv;irl;dde  Inek  ;il  pl;iv, 
<li;il  tlic  ni;>^ist rates  ol' these  two  ellirs  deemed  It  their 
iluly  lo  in1erl\'re  tor  the  protection  ol'  their  rellow-eili- 
y.ens,  Mud  lo  banish  Law  iVom  these  over-exhausted  the- 
.MleiN  oi"  his  exjdoiis.  At  I'doreiue,  he  het-ame  ae- 
(juainled  with  tlie  I>nUe  of  \'eiidoiii(\  whom  he  lavonul 
with  the  loan  ol'  u  lar^v  suiu  of  nioiu>\ ,     ^Vt  Neuloliatel. 


IIIH  ARIKVAI,  IN   I'ARIH. 


ao.5 


as 


hr.  <.l.|,,uil..|  uccrvsM  in  ll„.  |»,i,„.,.  ..f  (<.,„^J^  ^,,  ^j,,,,,,  ,^, 
to  Mm-  I).,I«.  oC  Vc.Mlo.nc,  Im.  i,„,,,,ll..,|  Lis  WuJruu 
Hd..'m.u  II..  u..,s  Mn.H  skiillnlly  s.-rurino-  prot-.tiou 
';"■  ♦'"'  '"''••••Ih.Iiom  ,.|'  l.is  pliUM  ii.(.,  |<Van<-.',<,n  <|i.'  (irsf, 
'.••vo,,,|,|,.  u|,,.oi(,uiil  y.  Kur  scv.TuJ  years  (..-iw  mml.l.d 
over  I'li.miM.,  |.r<,|M,siri-  l.is  fiiiaiici.-il  systc/H  (^vcryu  linv 
|"'<l  I"  <'viy  iMMly.  huiii,-  .-,,  sliMH.  .vsi,!,.,,..'  a,i  TiMin 
If  pivssc.j  11,,.  si,l,j,.ct  .,„  Ml..  Ki,,:^.  of  S;,r.li„iu,  Vi.-t..,' 
Aiiiu,l...,s   -!,„(,   M.ui,  |,ni.|<.„|,  s.,v..n.iir„   uiiswcn..!  •  -[ 

"•"  "..rri..|.  rii.,„..|,  (,,..,(i;„.<|  i„.i„.  ,„i„„,,     ,,,.,,, ,;.^,  .^ 

tlic  |.r..|».r  li..|,|  u  |„.,v  yo„r  s|.<.c-i.laiiv.,  ncnliiH  .„,..|,|  (<, 

;■'"*'  "^'  •" '^'"""'  ^vl.n..  y.M.  uill    r,.a|,  nd,   |,arv,.st.. 

I  ■•iiM  smv  (l,a(,  y.Mir  s..|,..„„.s  uill  I,..  |„  f|„.  lust,.  .,f  ,„y 
i.i.iv.nial  ii..iw|,lM.|.s.  'in  (I,,.,,,,  IJM.ivlor,.,  |  u.miI.I  a.)- 
vise  y.Mi  l.»  i(.|)air." 

'I'liis  a.jvi....  s.'..Mi<..|  (,,  Lau  a  scnsiM,.  ,„,..,  aii.j  a.-liipr 

""•'•"'■"''"''•••'•"•' '-   r.-.risuid,   (|„.  <.„.,nM..us  sum 

ol  tw,.  i„,||„„,s  aii.l  liv..  inni.jiv.i  ll„M.saii<|  Irancs,  which 
wciv  (h,.   ivs.iK,  ..r   his  siin-.'ss    ill    -aiiiiii-   aii.j    ..f   his 
H|.(.,.|ilati..iis   in   s(..,.ks  aii.l    piihli,.   CmkIs.'     S.M>n    aWw 
Ins  anivai    L-.uis  Ih-  \IVih  ,li...|,  ulii.l,  uas  a  ciiriiiii- 
Hfuii..,.  Iav..i'al.l..  (..his   piv(..nsi..i,s.      II,.  jia.j  m,.  |,.i...vi. 
'"•''•'''  ""'>   ^^''1'  "'<■   pni.l.m    D.'siiiaivfs,  ,.,„„|.tr„||,.,.. 
KyiKT.'il  <«nii<.  linaii,-,N.,r  (|„.  Stat,',  \\h..s,.  uis.hwn   ha.l 
jliscar.l.Mi  (h..  i.iiiptiii-  |.r..|...si(i,,i,s  ..f  that,  adv<.|itnivr 
I'l  ITOS.      |{iitn,,w,i„  IT'C,  ulici,  til,.  Duk,.  ot'Ork'aiis, 
:is  U',.,nvii(  ,.r  |<^.aiur,  r..iiii,|    lii„,s,.|r  at,  til,.  li,.a,l   ,.!'  the' 
i^'ov..niiiu.|it,  the  liiiauri.ij  siiiiali..ii  ..1."  Kraiiee   Iia.j    h,.- 
I'ome  .les,„.rat,..     Th,.  puhlie  .h-l.t  was  immense:  it  was 
n  l.',U-;i.-y  l.e,|ii,.atli,..|  hy  tli..  iiiilitaiy  ,-l.,|.y  „t'  L„uis  tlio 
Al\'tli,  aii.l   the  other   j»..iiip.uis   vanities  of  his  Ion-,' 
ivinn.     'J'he  ,..)ns,.,|uen,v  was  that  tli,.  load  of  taxatio'u 
^vas  ,.v,.n\h,.hnin,--,  in. .rely  lo  pay  Uw  int.,.rest.  of   this 
tli'Iil,   uithouf,  any  ]i,)pe.   of  <liminisIiino-   th(?   capital. 
All  the  ^.juiocd  of  ijKlustry  wem  dried  up:  tJie  very 


1: 


W.l 


206 


FORMATION  OF  A  BANK  BY  LAW  IN  PARIS. 


i'l 


winds  whicli  wafted  tlie  barks  of  commerce  seemed  to 
Lave  died  away  under  tlie  i)ressm'e  of  the  time ;  trade 
stood  still :  the  manuftictures  were  struck  with  palsy : 
the  merchant,  the  trader,  the  artificer,  once  flourishing 
in  affluence,  were  now  transformed  into  clamorous  besr- 
gars,  and  those  who  could  yet  command  some  small 
means,  were  preparing  to  emigrate  to  foreign  parts. 
The  life-blood  that  animated  the  kingdom  Avas  stagna- 
ting in  all  its  arteries:  and  the  danger  of  an  awful 
crisis  became  such,  that  it  Avas  actually  proj)osed  in  the 
Council  of  State  to  expunge  the  public  debt  by  an  act 
of  national  bankruptcy.  But  the  Regent  has  the  credit 
of  having  rejected  the  proposition ;  and  a  commission 
was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  financial  situation  of 
the  kingdom,  and  to  prepare  a  remedy  for  the  evil. 

It  v/as  at  that  time,  Avhen  the  Avisest  heads  in  France 
were  not  able  to  see  their  Avay  through  the  embarrass- 
ments of  the  treasury,  that  John  LaAv  came  forward 
M^ith  his  panacea.  It  Avas  to  liquidate  the  debt  of  the 
state,  to  increase  its  rcA^enue,  to  diminish  taxation :  and 
all  these  prodigies  Avere  to  be  suddenly  produced  by 
the  easiest  proce  >  in  the  Avorld — the  creation  of  a  bank, 
by  Avhich  fictitious  capital,  quite  as  good  as  any  real 
one,  Avould  be  produced  at  Avill.  The  Regent,  Avho  Avas 
incessantly  in  Avant  of  money,  and  Avhose  ardent  imagi- 
nation Avas  always  easily  captivated  l)y  every  darino- 
and  extraordinary  conception,  eagerly  jumped  at  the 
conclusions  presented  l)y  Law,  or  L'as,  as  he  Avas  called 
by  the  French.  He  Ijecame  even  a  favorite  of  that 
prince,  and  Avas  admitted  into  all  the  licentious  priva- 
cies of  the  Palais  Boyal  Soon  after,  in  May,  171 G,  in 
spite  of  the  opposition  made  by  all  the  financiers  of  the 
kingdom,  LaAv  obtained  letters  patent,  not,  it  is  true, 
complying  Avith  all  his  magnificent  schemes,  but  estab- 
lishing un  a  very  limited  scale,  the  bank  of  Avhich  he 


CREATION  OF  THE  ROYAL  BANK, 


207 


was  the  originator,  and  wliich  was  to  bear  his  name, 
with  a  capital  of  six  millions  of  livres,  divided  into 
shares  of  five  hundred  livres.  It  was  to  be  a  private 
undertaking,  and  intended  by  the  government  as  an 
experiment. 

Tliis  institution  met  with  so  much  success,  and  be- 
came so  popular,  that  in  April,  1717,  the  Council  of 
State  assumed  the  responsibility  of  ordering  that  its 
notes  be  received  as  specie  l)y  the  royal  treasury,  in  all 
its  bi-anches.  The  influence  of  Law  on  the  Eegeiit  was 
daily  on  the  increase,  and  it  was  he  who  prev°ailed  on 
that  prince  to  purchase  for  the  king  the  celebrated  dia- 
mond, which,  from  that  circumstance,  was  called  the 
Iie<lt,>f,  and  which  is  still  the  property  of  republican 
France,  and  a  i)art  of  its  public  domain.  It  was  a  curi- 
osity then  thought  to  be  unique  of  its  kind ;  and  the 
Regent,  although  strongly  tempted,  had  long  hesitated 
to  invest  millions  in  such  an  unproductive  manner,  when 
the  revenue  of  the  kingdom  was  far  below  its  expenses. 
But  Law  removed  his  scruples,  by  persuading  him  that 
he  had  tlie  means  not  only  of  remedying  the  necessities 
of  France,  but  of  making  her  richer  than  she  had  ever 
been. 

Law  now  began  to  develop  the  stupendous  projects 
he  had  so  long  meditated.  The  success  of  his  piivate 
bank  had  gained  him  so  much  credit,  that  the  liegent 
was  iiiduced  to  change  its  character,  and  to  make^it  a 
royal  institution.  Law's  bank  was  abolished  in  Decern- 
ber,  1718,  to  give  Nvay  to  the  Royal  Bank,  of  which 
Law  was  named  the  director-general.  From  that  fruit- 
ful  parent  trunk,  sprung  branches  which  were  estab- 
lished at  Lyons,  Tours,  La  Rochelle,  Orleans,  and 
Amiens. 

It  will  be  remembered  that,  .13  before  stated,  the 
charter  of  the  Mississi^jpi  CompaBy  had  been  registered 


i*ii 


:i    i's  'I 


i; 


'  4 


Is.    ! 


mj 


ill 


k   ^ 


r 


Ht 


208 


THE  MLSSISSIPI'I  COMPANY  FORMED. 


by  the  parluimont  of  Paris  on  the  Otli  of  Sc-ptomber, 
17  7.     li.e  c.a]„tal  of  the  company  was  one  innulred 
m.  hons  o    livTes,  to  ),o  funn.hed  l,y  sto.kh<.l<l.rs,  and 
to  be  divided  into  sliares  of  five  hundred  livres.     Alien, 
were  permitted  t,.  ])ecome  nieml^ers  of  the  company 
and  their  shares  Avere  exempted  from  the  -droit  <V,nl 
bmne    and  from  confiscation  in  case  of  war.    TIk^  "  droit 
cl  an  .ame"  is  tlie  ri,dit  wi.icli  the  king  had  to  inherit 
all  the  ,)r<,pcrty  which  an  alien  left  at  his  death.     To 
entice  subscrihers,  their  shares  were  made  payal>le  in  a 
depreciated  paper  currency,  called  -hilkt,  dVitat "  or 
state  bonds,  which,  hou-ever,  in  the  hands  of  sul'scri- 
be.-s,  were  taken  at  par  or  full  value,  although  their 
depreciation  amounted  to  between  six+-  o,.i  Seventy 
per  cent.     This  was  such  a  temptin-  bait,  that  it  was 
givedily  gulped  down  by  X\,,  public,  and  the  subscrip- 
tH.n  was  soon  niore  than  filled  up.     By  this  <.)erati,!n 
of  taking  the  depreciated  j.aper  currency  of  the  state 
in  payment  of  subscriptions,  the  comj.anV  '>eeame  the 
ciechtor  of  the  state  for  a  sum  of  one  hundred  n.illions 
of  hvres,  on  which  interest  w^s  to  be  paid  at  tlu^  rate 
of  four  per  cent. 

The  following  were  the  principal  articles  of  the  com- 
pany  s  charter : — 

It  had  the  exclusive  privilege  of  trading  with  Louisi- 
ana  dunng  twenty-five  years,  and  also  the  m<mopoly  of 

the  king  reserved  to  h.m.elf  the  right  of  detenninin.. 
he  number  of  skmsthat  the  compa,^  should  be  bound 
to,.urcluise  annually  from  the  Cana.lians,  at  the  price 
lixc<l  hy  the  government  of  his  .Majesty 

The  company  was  authorize,!  to  make  treaties  with 
the  Indians  ami  to  wage  M'ar  against  them  in  easels  of 
Becessi  y.  It  ha<l  taken  care  to  secure  the  absolute 
ownership  of  all  the  mines  which  it  could  discover  and 


% 


n 


t 
I 

t: 

t] 

d 


g 

w 


4  f ' 


ARTICLES  OF  ITS  CIIA TITER.  209 

work  and  it  is  needless  to  sa^^  that  mucli  reliance  was 
placed  on  this  article  of  the  charter. 

The  faculty  was  given  to  the  company  of  makiiiff 
grants  of  land,  of  levying  troops,  of  raising  fortiilcationr 
of  apponiting  the  governors  of  the  cokmy  and  the  other 
olhcers  commanding  the  troops,  proxided  they  should 
on  presentation,  be  accepted  and  connuissioned  by  the 
king.  The  right  of  recalling  or  altering  these  appoint- 
ments  was  also  reservetl  to  the  company. 

To  build  ships  of  war  and  cast  camion,  to  appoint 
and  remove  judges  and  officers  of  justice,  except  those 
of  the  Su],erior  Council,  was  one  of  the  numerous  pow- 
ers grmited  to  this  mighty  company. 

IVIilitary  officers  in  Louisiana  and  all  othei-s  in  the 
Prench  service  were  allowed,  with  the  king's  license,  to 
enlist  mthe  i)ay  of  the  company.  While  in  that  ser- 
vice their  respective  grades  in  the  navies  or  land  forces 
ot  the  realm  were  to  be  retained,  and  they  Iiad  the 
gracious  promise  of  the  khigthat  whatever  service  they 
might  render  to  the  company  would  be  acknowledged 
as  rendered  to  himself. 

^  By  the  consular  jurisdiction  of  the  city  of  Paris  aU 
civil  s.jits  to  which  the  company  might  be  a  party 
were  to  be  determined  ;  with  a  right  of  appeal,  in  cases 
above  a  certain  amount,  to  the  parliament  of  Taris 

The  company  was  prohibited  from  employing  other 
than  French  vessels  and  crews  in  trading  with  Louisi- 
ana and  all  goods  found  on  the  company's  vessels  were 
to  be  presumed  its  property,  unless  the  contrary  waa 
proved.  ^ 

Frenchmen,  remoA^ng  to  Louisiana,  were  to  preserve 
their  national  character,  and  their  children,  born  there 
were  to  be  considered  as  the  natural  born  subjects  of 
tne  kmg.     The  same  privilege  was  granted  to  the  chil- 
di-en  ot  aU  other  European  settlers  in  Louisiana,  pro- 

o 


-ijilf! 


I      ! 


ii: 


i>M 

m 

i.' 


210 


CHARTER  OF  THE  MISSiaSTPPI  COMPANY. 


'^iV 


in 


r 


vided  they  professed  the  Roman  Catholic  religion.  To 
encourage  emigration,  it  was  stipulated  that  during  the 
(jontinuance  of  the  conipany's  charter,  the  iuliahitants 
of  Louisiana  were  to  be  exempted  from  the  payment  of 
any  tax,  duty,  or  imj)osition  whatever. 

To  promote  tlu;  ])uilding  of  vessels  in  Louisiana, 
where  it  was  reported  that  the  most  magnificent  timber 
existed  in  its  boundless  forests,  a  bounty  was  to  be 
awai'ded  for  evei^  vessel  there  built,  on  its  arrival  ia 
France. 

In  anticipation  of  wars  with  the  Indians,  it  was 
agreed  that  forty  thousand  pounds  of  powder  were  to 
be  delivered  annually  to  the  company,  out  of  the  royal 
magazines,  at  the  rate  of  the  manufacturing  cost. 

The  stockholders  were  to  have  a  vote  for  every  fifty 
shares.  During  the  two  first  years,  the  affairs  of  the 
company  were  to  be  conducted  by  directors  api)ointed 
by  the  king,  and  afterward,  by  others,  elected  trien» 
nially  by  the  stockholders. 

In  order  to  minister  to  the  religious  wants  of  the 
colonists,  the  oljligation  was  laid  upon  the  company  to 
build  churches  and  to  provide  for  a  sufficient  number  of 
clergymen.  It  was  understood  that  Louisiana*  wjis  to 
remain  part  of  the  diocess  of  Quebec,  under  whose 
spiiitual  authority  it  had  always  been  since  it  had  been 
settled  by  the  French. 

The  comi)auy  obliged  itself  to  transport  to  Lonisiana, 
before  the  exjaration  of  its  charter,  six  thoagaiid  white 
pei'sons  and  tliree  thousand  negroes :  b.  .  i'  ,vas  jtipu- 
latt'd  that  these  persons  should  not  be  brouglit  from 
another  French  colony,  without  the  consent  of  the 
governor  of  that  colony. 

Tn  consideration  of  the  charges  assumed  by  the  com- 
jv'Tiy,  it,  goods  were  to  be  exempted  from  the  payment 
ri  .iuy  duty,  and  the  king  promised  not  to  grant  any 


'  '  I 


CHARTER  OP  THE  MISSISSIPPI  COMPANY.  211 

letters  of  dispensation  or  respite  to  any  debtor  of  the 
company.  He  also  gave  the  company  the  solemn  as- 
surance of  his  effectual  protection  against  any  foreign 
nati(  n.  ''         ° 

If  the  company,  as  it  is  seen,  took  special  care  to 
keep  Its  debtors  irredeema]>ly  within  its  reach,  it  was  no 
less  solicitous  to  withdraw  itself,  as  much  as  possible, 
from  the  grasp  of  any  one  of  the  creditoi-s  of  its  stock- 
hohlers  and  it  had  a  clause  inserted  in  its  charter,  l)y 
which  the  effects,  shares,  an<l  profits  of  the  stockhohlera 
coidd  not  be  seized  and  sold  either  in  the  hands  of  its 
cashier,  its  clerks,  or  agents,  except  it  be  in  cases  of 
open  and  declared  bankruptcy,  or  on  account  of  the 
death  ot  the  party. 

All  the  lands,  coasts,  harbors,  and  islands  in  the 
colony  of  Louisiana  were  granted  to  the  company,  a« 
they  were  to  Crozat,  on  condition  of  its  taking  the  cus- 
tomary oath  of  foith  and  homage,  as  practicnl  in  such 
cases,  and  of  furnishing  to  every  King  of  France,  on  his 
accession  to  the  throne,  a  crown  of  gold,  of  the  wei^^ht 
ot  thirty  marks.  ° 

Thus  Louisiana  was  constituted  into  a  sort  of  com- 
mercial  fief,  and  the  Mississippi  Company  rose  almost 
to  the  digmty  of  those  great  feudatory  vassals  who  in 
the  days  of  old,  had  been,  alternately,  the  pride,  Ihe 
support,  and  the  curse  of  France.    It  did  not  sprino  into 
existence,  it  is  true,  in  the  shape  of  a  Duke  of^Bur- 
gundy,  who,  backed   by  one  hundred  thousand  men 
could,  if  he  pleased,  set  at  defiance  his  liege  Lord  and 
could  proudly  enter  through   the   battered  wall's  of 
Fans,  with  crested  helmet  on  his  head,  and  the  trunch- 
eon of  command  in  his  hand.     But  it  was  perhaps  a 
being  more  powerful  and  more  dangerous— it  was  a 
company-an  incorporeal  conglomeration,  an  unfathom- 
able, uncontrollable,  unaccountable  creation— an  a-ent 


M 


» 


i|jl|.iir 


1    «f  ' 


i'  ii 


1 


I  '1 


212 


LAW  APPOINTED  DIRECTOR-GENERAL. 


with  sucli  divided  responsibility  that  it  amounted  to 
fiotliing,  and,  as  Lord  Coke  says  of  corporations — a 
thing  without  a  soul,  to  which,  nevertheless,  a  power 
more  efficacious  and  more  fearful  than  that  exercised 
over  armed  men  was  delegated — the  power  of  control- 
ling commerce  ! 

Law  was  appointed  director-general  of  the  Mississippi 
Company,  as  he  had  been  of  the  lloyal  Bank,  and  both 
institutions  were  merged  into  one  another.  That  would 
have  been  power  enough  to  satisfy  a  less  craving  am- 
bition, but  Law  was  not  the  man  to  stop  short  in  his 
career  of  aggrandizement.  Thus,  he  soon  obtained  that 
the  farm  of  tobacco,  that  is  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
selling  this  favorite  weed,  be  made  over  to  the  com- 
pany by  the  government,  at  an  advance  of  I'ent  exceed- 
ing two  millions  of  livres.  This  Avas  a  pretty  rich 
feather  in  his  cap,  but  it  was  not  enough ;  and  stepping 
from  one  accpiisition  to  another,  lie  immediately  after- 
ward procured  for  the  company  of  Avhich  he  had  the 
absolute  control,  the  grant  of  the  charter  and  eftects  of 
the  Senegal  Company.  It  was  piling  up  Pelion  upon 
Ossa,  and  the  woi'ld  stood  aghast  with  astonishment  at 
the  extent  of  the  concessions  made  by  the  French  gov- 
ernment to  a  foreign  adventurer.  A  Royal  Bank,  the 
Tobacco  farm,  the  Mississippi  Company,  and  the  Sene- 
gal Company,  Avith  all  their  millions,  rights,  privileges, 
eflFects  and  powers,  all  comljined  into  a  gigantic  unity  ! — • 
and  that  unity  put  as  an  instrun?ent  into  the  hands  of 
another  unity  in  the  shape  of  a  jnan !  This  was  some- 
thing curious  to  look  at  and  to  study  in  its  o])erations. 

Wise  people  thought  that  the  climax  of  folly  had 
been  reached ;  but  John  Law  laughed  in  his  sleeve  at 
their  inexperience,  or  their  ignorance  of  his  skill,  and 
before  they  had  breathing  time  to  recover  from  their 
surprise,  he  gave  another  proof  of  his  woudei'ful  leger- 


INCREASE  OF  THE  PRIVILEGES  OF  THE  COMPANY.       213 

demain,  by  purloining  from  the  French  government  a 
still  more  extraordinarv grant  than  the  preceding  ones- 
-which  was  the  exch:sive  privilege  of  trading  to  the 
Last  Inches,  China  and  the  South  Seas,  together  with 
all  the  possessions  and  effects  of  the  China  and  India 
Companies,  now  dissolved,  upon  condition  of  liquidating 
all  just  claims  upon  them.     It  was  then  that  the  Com- 
pany of  the  West,  or  Mississippi  Company,  dropped  its 
original  name  to  take  up  that  of  the  Company  of  the 
Indies,  with  the  privilege  of  cremating  additi<.nal  shares 
to  the  amount  of  twenty-live  millions,  payable  in  coin 

Ihis,  It  seems,  ought  to  have  been  enough  to  satiate 
the  most  inordinate  appetite.     Not  so  with  John  Law 
On  the  2r.th  of  July,  1719,  the  mint  was  made  over  to 
the  already  overgrown  Company  of  the  Indies,  that 
huge  hnancial  Polyphemus,  which  owed  its  existence  to 
the  great  Sc(.tch  projector.     This  other  concession  wa« 
made  for  a  consideration  of  fifty  millions  of  livres,  to  be 
paid  to  the  king  within  fifteen  moi.fhs.     This  time  it 
might  have  been  permit t.nl  to  believe  that  the  digestive 
organs  of  this  boa  constrictor,  of  this  king  of  specular 
tors,  were  more  than  overgorged  with  the  accumulation 
of  superabundant  nutrition,  with  which  they  had  been 
so  lavishly  f^xvored.     But  John  Law  asked  for  some- 
thing more !     Was  he  shut  up  in  a  lunatic  asvlum  for 
his  mad  p)-esumption  ?      No  !_he  obtained   what   he 
begged.     Will  not  the  dullest  mind  be  stimulated  into 
curiosity,  and   will  not  the  quick  in.piiry  be:  What 
more  could  John  Law  presume  to  grasp '^     This-— on 
the  27th  of  August,  17ll>,  he  obtained  for  his  proo-en> 
the  prodigious  Comjiany  <.f  the  Indies,  the  great  farnis 
of  the  revenues  of  the  kingdom,  which  the  Regent  took 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  f-irmers  general  and  gave  to  the 
company,  in  consi<l(>ration  of  its  paying  an  advance  of 
rent  of  three  millions  and  a  half  of  livres:  and  on  the 


'        1)1)1 


'if.'  i 


i 


■■iA 


M 


c  1 

! 

i 

J 
■  ; 

, 

1         1  > 

li.i 

M 

i 

i 

li 


i?l4    lUlFT.F.nTIoNH  ON  THR  VAST  TOWKKS  OP  THE  COMl'ANT. 

JHst  (»r  \]n>  Hiuuo.  inontli,  to  onp  ihv.  rliiniix  of  nil  t.li(!sO 
aliiiosl,  Hiipcrniiliii'Ml  \v(>ihI(M's,  liiiw  obifiincd  n^uiit  ibr 
t.Iic  SMiiic  conip.-iiiy  llic  i^ciici'iil  receiptor  colKjctiuu  of 
all  (ll(^  (dliei*  hrniielicM  oI'IIk'  kind's  j-evetiiies. 

'riiioiijj^li  lliis  em'idiiM  |»|'(h'(ws  of  e(>m|)le.v  nimexutiou 
and  .•issiinil.'ifioii,  .lojiii  l^.-iw  li.'id  succeeded  iii  ereciinj' 
tile  most-  sliipeiid.'iis  liiiniiciHl  tkhl'it'  tliiit,  liiis  t(ver  beeil 
])reseiiled  to  the  world.  In  one  conipjiny,  jiiid  tliroui^d: 
it,  in  one  nuin,  was  vested  iiotJiini;-  less  tliiiii  t.lu!  wliolo 
])rivilei,^es,  ellects  and  possessi(»ns  of  tJie  foi-eii^fn  ti'jidu 
companies  of  I' ranee,  the  j^real  farms  of  the  kini^nloiii, 
the  mini,  the^cnei'al  receipt,  of  the  kind's  veveimes,  and 
the  maiia^j^ement  and  property  of  a  royal  bank,  with  an 
immense  capital!  Thus,  one  man,  an  obscure  foreiirii 
adventurer,  tliroui;h  his  ci-eature,  the  i'om]»any,  had 
condensed  iuto  one  Ium|),  which  his  liands  encii\'led, 
all  the  tiade,  taxes,  and  revenues  of  one  of  the  mosfc 
l)o\verful  kingdoms  of  {''.(irojie,  and  lhroui4h  tlie  Koyal 
Hank,  he  miuht,  according'  to  Ins  will,  increase  to  any 
amount  the  circulalini;- medium  of  that  <'ountryI  Docfl 
\uA  this  strictly  historical  sketch  smack  of  the  wild  coil- 
c(>|)tion  of  adelirious  mind  ^  Is  not  trutli  often  inoro 
incredible  than  lietion,  and  in  readin,t,Mhese  lines,  would 
not  misanthropy  be  tempt(>(l  to  exclaim:  "Jllail  to  tluu?, 
mischi(>\()us  sercei'(-r  !  Three  times  bail  tt»  thee,  .bdin 
Law  !"  whil(>  poetical  fancy  Mould  l»e  permitted  to  in- 
quire ii'lhe  Weird  Sisters,  tlit^  foul  wltch(>s  of  liis  natlvo 
heaths,  had  not  lurnislied  him  with  the  spell,  under  tlio 
inllueuce  of  which  so  many  milliouH  of  his  fellovvd)i!in<'^ 
had  lieen  tout  hed  with  insanitv, 

it  i-^  not  astonishing' that  on  the  slunvernii^f  ot'somany 
iTi-ants  on  the  company,  its  shares  u'radually  rose  fnna 
TxU)  t.»  iOOO,  to  MHU)  and  l.»  10,0(10  bvres,  which  wm 
more  than  sixty  tinu's  lli(>sum  they  wei'c  orl^'inallv  sold 
for,  if  tho  depreciation  of  tho  "^Y/ci'.y  </'Jia,"  or  stuto 


I 


FLATTKIUNG  DK.SCIIII'TIONS  OK  LOUISIANA 


215 


|)0I1(]h,  wltli  wliicli  t}i(!y  won;  paid,  },(.  taken  into  ac- 
count. TIk!  (U'mv,  to  hoconic  Hto<-kli()l(|(,r  in  a  company 
wliich  ].roiiiisc(l  to  vcnVi'/.v,  the  I'ahlo  of  tfu;  }i(!n  with 
golden  ('ir<rH,  was  fevercMl  into  fV(!n/y.  Thc^re  was  a 
g<!nenil  nish  of  friv.vAy  siihscrilMsrs,  far  excee(liii<r  the 
nuniher  wanted,  and  in  tlieir  stni^'^des  to  bo  miiked 
ftmont,'  tlie  privil(!tre(l  onc^s  wJiose  claims  were  to  be 
fi(hnitt(^d,  th<!  ^'reat(!st  intcu-est  was  exerted,  and  ever/ 
etralai^eni  put  in  practice. 

At  the  same  time,  th(!  press  was  teeming'  witli  piibll- 
cations  on  the  Mississippi,  or  the  Colony  of  Louisiana, 
nnd  Kranc(!  was  flooded  with  pami)liiets  desci-ibin^^  that 
n<'\vly-discovere(l  c(»untry,  and  tlie  advanta,£,^es  wliieh  It 
offered   f c»  ».mi^n'ants.     'J1»e  luxuriant   ima;,Mnatioii   of 
prolifi(^  wj-iters  was  taxed,  to  clothe  Louisiana  with  all 
th(?  p(nfeetionH  th(!y  could  invent.     It  was  mor(i  than 
th(>  old  Ldeii,  so  lon.i,^  lost  to  mankind.     Then;,  the  pic- 
tnres(pio  was  liappiiy  bhinded   wltli   tlu^  fertih?,  and 
abmidanee  smiled  ou  rocky  mountains  sw  on  the  alluvial 
l)lains  <»f  the  valleys.     The  climate  was  such  that  all  tho 
yeo-etable  productions  of  the;  ,i,d<>')e  existed,  or  could  bo 
introduced  with  success  in  that  favored  hind.    To  sci-atcli 
the  soil,  would  call  forth  the  sj)()ntaiieous  ,i,m)wth  of  the 
richest   Jiarvests   of  evei-y  kind.     All  the  fruits  ever 
known,  wen^  to  be  ,u:athered  in  ])rofiision  from  the  for- 
Csts,  all  tlu^  year  round,  and  the  most  luscious  peaches, 
pears,  apples,  and  olliei-  lik(!  nutritious  delicacies,  drop- 
piiin-  from  their  parent  Ik.u^Iis,  were  piled  up  in  heaps 
under  cool  shades  and  on  the  velvet  banks  of  bubblin^^ 
Streams.     Thei'<s  dust  and   mud  were  ecpially  excluded, 
as  the  |L,n'oun(l  was  line<I  in  all  seasons  with  a  thick  car- 
pet of  flowers,  endless  in  variety,  and  ])erfumin,<,^  the  air 
with  their  sweet  breath.     Tlu^  Hiu'st  breed  of  all  domes- 
tic or  useful  animals  was  there  to  be  found  in  all  the 
primitive  vigor  and  gentleness  of  their  antediluvian 


ii. 


:!"il 


i                             ■    ' 

'    :  ':'i 

!l.     I! 


i 


':m 


S16 


riATTERINQ  DESCRIPTIONS 


13 !'  U 


perfection.  Tlie  poor  peasant  who,  dnrini^  a  hno;  life 
in  I'rance,  had  nev(!r  dreanuid  of  eatiiiir  meat,  would 
thei'o  feed  on  n(jthint,'  less  tlian  wild  ducks,  venison, 
pluijusants,  sni])es  and  woodcocks.  'J^lie  birds  kept  up  a 
nevcr-ceiusin<r  concert,  which  wouhl  hav(i  slianied  the 
opera  siii,L,nn,e:  of  l?ariM.  The  rivers  and  lakes  were 
etockcd  with  iish,  so  al)nndaiit  that  they  woald  suffice 
to  nourish  millions  of  men,  and  so  delicate  that  no  kino- 
ever  had  any  sueli  on  his  ta)>le.  ^ 

The  seasons  w(;re  so  slio-]itly  marked  that  tlie  coun- 
try mio-ht  ho  said  to  be  blessed  with  a  perpetual  spring. 
None  but  g(;ntle  winds  fluttered  over  this  paradise,  to 
fan  and  keep  fore\-er  blooming  its  virgin  beauties,  and 
Ui  their  ganiboli'ig  flight  through  boundless  prairies  and 
foivsfs,  they  ])ro(luced  the  effect  of  Kolian  hai-ps,  lulling 
enchantcid  nature  to  sleej>  with  luiavenly  music.     The 
eky  was  brighter,  the  sun  more  gorgeous,  the  moou 
niore  chastely  sercnie  and  pure,  and  th(>  niglits  nioro 
lovely  than  anywhere  else.     Ib-aven  itself  seemed  to 
bend  ([own  upon  earth  iu  conjugal  dalliance,  and  to  en- 
Vii-on  It  with  circumaml)ient  love.     There,  it  is  true,  it 
could  not  be  said  to  have  been  ])ositively  ascertain'ed 
that  the  fountain  of  eternal  youth  had  been  diseovei-ed, 
i)ut  It  wjw  beyond  (h)ubt  that  there  was  in  tlu;  atmos-* 
phere  a  peculiar  clement  whieh  ])reserved  from  putre^ 
fact lou  ;— and  the  Jnnnan  Ixxly,  beiug  impregnated  with 
It,  was  so  ]ittl,.  woi'M  out  l)y  the  action  of  its  organs, 
that  It  could  keep  itself  in  exiscence  almost  indefinitely ;' 
ami  the  Iiulians  were  known  to  r.'tain  the  appearance' 
of  youth  <>ven  after  having  attained  Hve  oi-  six  hundred 
years.     Those  very  Indians  had  conceived  such  an  at- 
tachment for  the  white  nu^n,  whom  they  considered  as 
gods,  that  they  would  not  allow  them  to  labor,  and  in^ 
sisted  on  l)erfoi-ming  themselves  all  the  work  that  mio-ht 
be  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  their  pale-faced  brethi^en 


I 


OF  LOUISIANA. 


S17 


It  was  profanation  in  their  eye  not  to  minister  to  all  the 
wants  ot  their  idolized  i,nio.sts. 

More  enticin-  tlian  all  tlmt,  was  the  pretended  dis- 
covery  ofinexhaustil.le  mines  of  g„ld  and  silver  which 
however,   it  would  not  l,e  necessary  to  work  hy  the 
usual  tedious  process,  ])ecause  the  whole  surface  of  the 
country  was  strewed  witl,  lumps  of  gold,  and  when  tho 
waters  of  tlie  lakes  and  rivers  were  filtered,  particularly 
the  tuck  wat<u.of  tlie  Mississippi,  it  yielded  an  invalua- 
>h.  (h-posit  of  geld.     As  to  silver,  it  wa.s  so  common 
that  It  would  become  of  no  value,  and  would  have  to  be 
use(   in  the  shape  of  scpiare  stones,  to  pave  the  public 
roads.      The  fields  w.we  covered    with    an  indigenous 
plant  which  was  gifted  with  the  most  sinirular  prop- 
erty.    The  dew  which  gathered  within  the  perfumed 
cups  of  its  flowers,  would,  in   tlu^  course  of  a  siu-le 
mght,  be  c(mverted  into  a  solid  diamond;  and  the  soft 
texture  of  the  flowers  bursting  open  and  dropping  down 
under  the  weight  of  its  contents,  would  leave  the  pre- 
Clous  gems  ticking  on  the  stem  in  unrobed  splendor  and 
reflectuig  back  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun.     What  m 
written  on  California  in  <M.r  days  would  appear  tame 
when  compared  to  the  ])ublicati<.ns  on   Louisiana  in 
1719:   and  the  far-famed  and  extravagant  descrii)tion 
of  th(^  banks  of  the  Mississi])pi  given  at  a  later  ])eriod 
by  Chateaubriand,  would,  at  the  time  I  speak  of,  have 
been  hooted  at,  as  doing  injustice  to  the  merits  of  the 
new  possession  France  had  ac(iuired. 

When  the  extreme  gullibility  of  mankind,  as  demon- 
strated  by  the  occurrence  of  every  day,  is  taken  into 
consuleration,  what  I  h<.re  relate  will  not  appear  exa-. 
gerated  or  iiicivlible.  lie  it  as  it  may,  these  descrip. 
tions  wei-e  believed  in  France,  an<i  funn  the  towerinc^ 
palace  to  the  In.mblest  shed  in  the  kingdom,  nothing 
else  was  talked  of  ))ut  Louisiana  and  its  wonders.     The 


f     'I 


?     '    .III. 

S  ,  I  si 


*>  'I 


^'^Hiifi  , 


i'  V 

'  i 

'1  ^H 

1 

I 

'■     II 

:   i    1 

1  ^1 

Ifl 

^^1 

II 

1 

\M 

m 

Il«  k 


14 


!. 


S18 


FRENZY  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


the 


national  ileht  was  to  be  paid  histaiitaneously  w 
Louisiana  rrold,  Fi-nnco  was  to  ])in'cbase  or  to  conquer 
the  rest  of  the  world,  and  every  Frenchman  was  to  he 
a  wealtliy  lord.     There  never  hud  heen  a  word  invested 
with  such  niairical  charms  as  t]w  name  of  Louisiana. 
It   j)ro(luee(l    delirium    in   every   l)rain:    to  Louisiana 
eveiy  on(!  wished  to  ^o,  as  now  to  California,  and  some 
of  the  most  unim])roved   i)arts   of  that    colony  were 
actually  sold  for  ,'iO,()(30  livi-es  the  s(iuare  league,  which, 
considerini,^  the  difference  in  value  in  metallic  currency 
between  that  time  and  the  present,  makes  that  sura  al- 
most equal  to  twcuity  thousand  dollars,  worth  of  our 
money  in  oiii-  days  ! 

Who   could   (h^scribe    with  sufficient  graphic  fidel- 
ity the  int(Mise  avidity  with  which  the  shares  of  the 
Company  of  the   Indies   were  hunted  up'^     All  ranks 
were  sei/ed  with  the  same  frantic  infatuation.     To  be 
a  stockholder  was  to  I  )o  reputed  rich,  and  the  poorest 
beggar,    when  he  exhibited  the  pi'oof  that   by  some 
wnidfall  or  other,  he  had  become  the  owner  of  one 
snigle  shares  ^'ose  at  once  to  the  importance  of  a  wealthy 
man,  and  could    command  the  largest  credit.     There 
was  a  general  struggle  to  raise  money,  for  the  pur])ose 
of  specuiating  in  the  stocks  of  the  niarvelous  company 
which  was  to  convert  every  thing  it  touched  into  gold. 
Every  kind  of  i)roi)erty  was  offered  for  sale,  and  made' 
payable    in   stocks.     Castellated    donuiins    which   had 
been  for  centuries  the  ])rou(lly  cherished  possessions  of 
the  same  families  were  bai-tered  away  for  a  mess  of 
financial  i)orridge,  and  more  than  on(>,  r(>presentative  of 
a  knightly  house  doffed  off  th(>  warm  lining  that  had 
been  Ix'ciueathed  to  him  by  his  ancestors,  to  dress  him- 
self, like  a  l)edlamite,  in  the  worthless  rags  of  unsub- 
etantial  pai)er.     h^uch  ra])id  mutations  in  real  estate  the 
world  had  never  seen  before  I    Lands,  palaces,  edifices 


'll 


TO  BECOME  STOCKHOLDERa 


219 


of  every  sort,  were  rapidly  slilftea  from  tantl  to  hand, 
like  l)alls  in  a  tennis-court.     It  was  truly  a  curious  sight 
to  behold  a  whole  chivalrous  nation  turned  into  a  con- 
fused multitude  of  swindlin,tr,  brawling,  clamorous,  fran- 
tic  stock-jobbers.     Holy  cardinals,  archbishops,  bisl.ops, 
vith  but  too  many  of  their  clergy,  forgetting  their 
sacred  character,  were  seen  to  launch  their  ])arks"'on  the 
dead  sea  of  perdition  to  which  they  were  tempted,  and 
eagerly  to  throw  the  fisherman's  net  into  those  troubled 
waters  of  si)eculation  which  were  la.shed  intofuiy  by  the 
demon  of  avarice.     Princes  of  the  royal  blood"  became 
hawkers  of  stocks:  haughty  peers  of  the  realm  rushed 
on  the  Kialto,  and  Shylock-like,  exulted  in  bartering 
and  trafficking  in  bonds.     Statesmen,  magistrates,  war- 
riors,  assuming  the  functions  of  pedlers,  were  seen  wan- 
dering  about  the  streets  and  public  places,  ofHn-ing  to 
l)uy  and  to  sell  stocks,  shares,  or  actions.     Nothing  dse 
was  talked  of;  the  former  usual  topics  of  conversation 
stood  still.     Kot  only  women,  but  ladies  of  the  highest 
rank  forgot  the  occupations  of  their  sex,  to  rusirinto 
the  vortex  of  speculation,  and  but  too  many  among 
thera  sold  every  thing,  not  exce])ting  their  honor,  to 
become  stockholders. 

The  comi)any  having  promised  an  annual  dividend  of 
200  livivs  on  eveiy  share  of  .500  livres,  which,  it  must 
be  rememl)ered,  had  been  originally  ])aid  for  in  depre- 
ciated hllhts  iVctat,  or  state  bonds,  making  the  interest 
to  be  received  on  every  share  still  more  enoi-nious,  the 
delii-ium  soon  culminated  to  its  highest  point.  Every 
thing  foreign  to  the  great  Mississii)pi  scheme  was  com- 
plet(dy  forgotten.  'Wa.  people  seemed  to  have  but  one 
pursuit,  but  one  object  in  life:  mechanics  dropi)ed  their 
tools,  tradesmen  closed  their  shops ;  thei-e  was  but  one 
profession,  one  emi)loyment,  one  occupation,  for  persons 
of  ull  ruuks— that  of  speculating  iu  stocks:  and  the 


■% 


•  '.I 


ii 


•Hi! 


I' 


r<  i  i 


KFFKOTS  OP  SPECULATION  IN  STOCKS. 


most  Tno(](>mte,  tlu.  few  wl.o  ul,stuine(l  from  joining  in 

the  wild-goose  cl.iiso,  wei-e  so  intensely  absorbed  by  the 

contenipl.-vtion   of  the  spectueh^  which  was  offered  to 

their   bewildered  ga;ce,  that  th,>y  took  no  eoneern  in 

any  thing  (>Ise.     (^ninoainpoix  Stivet,  where  the  offices 

ot  the  company  wer(^  kept,  Avas  literally  blocked  up  by 

the  crowd  which  the  fury  of  speculation  and  the  pas- 

Sion  for  sudden  wealth  attracted  to  that  s],ot,  and  per- 

8ons  were  fre.p.ently  crushed  or  stifled  to  death.     "  Mis- 

8issip]>i  !-^AVho  wants  any  Mississippi  r_\vas  bawled 

out  m  every  lane  an<l   ])y-lane,    and  every  nook  and 

corner  of  I  aris  echoed  with  the  word,  "Mississippi  t" 

Immensi,  fortunes  were  lost  or  ac.p.ired   in   a  few 
weeks,     ny  stock-Jobbing,  oT)scure  individuals  were  sud- 
tlenly  raised  th.m  the  sewers  <.f  ])overty  to  the  o-ilded 
rooms  of  princely  splendor.     Most  amusing  anecdotes 
Slight  be  told  of  p(>rsonsthns  stumbling  by  chance  into 
affluence;   and  heart-rending  stori(>s  migllt  be  related 
©t  such  MS,  from  the  i)ossession  of  ,>very  luxury  were 
precipitated  into  the  de])ths  of  absoln'te  destitution- 
While  those  who  had  become  si)ontaneouslv  rich   bein^ 
made  giddy  with  their  unexpectc-.I  acpiisiticms,  lamiched 
into  such  profusions  and  follies  that  tlu-ir  r.^turn  to  pov- 
erty  was  as  rapid  as  their  accession  to  wealth,  throu-h 
Which  It  might  be  said  they  had  only  passed  with  the 
velocity  of  steam  locomotion.     Uo  who  could  write  iu 
all  Its  detmls  the  history  of  that  Mississippi  bubble,  so 
tatal  m  its  short-lived  duration,  w;Hild  give  to  the  world 
the  most  instructive  com])osition,  made  up  of  the  most 
ainusmg,  luduTous,   monstrous  and  horrible   elements 
that  were  ever  jumbled  together. 

The  distribution  of  property  underwent  more  than 
one  grotesque  change.  The  tenants  of  the  parlor  or 
saloon  went  up  to  the  garret,  and  the  natives  of  the 
garret  tumbled  down  into  the  saloon.   Footmen  chaii-ed 


ADVANCFIMENT  OF  LAW.  THE  DIIIECTOU-OENERAL        221 

places  witli  tlioir  rnusterH,  and  the  outside  of  carriages 
happened  to  Ixn-orne  the  insicki.     J.nw's  eoaehrnan  made 
sucli  a  hu-ge  fortune  that  he  set  up  an  ecpiipage  of  hm 
own.     Cookniaids  and  waiting-women  aj)j)eare(l  at  the 
opera,  IxMlizeiuul  in  finery  like  the  Queen  of  Sheha.     A 
baker's  son,  who  used  to  carry  ids  father's  loaves  in  a 
basket  to  his  custoinei's,  was,  by  a  sudden  turn  of  the 
wheel  of  fortune,    enal^led   to  purchase   plate  to  the 
amount  of  foui-  hundred  thousand  livres,  which  he  sent 
to  his  wife,  with  the  recommendation  of  having  it  prop- 
erly  set  out  for  snj^per,  ami  with  the  strict  injunction 
of  puttmg  in  the  largc^st  and  finest  dish  his  'favorite 
stew  of  onions  and  hog's  feet.     The  Marcpiis  d'Oyse 
of  the  family  of  the  Dukes  of  Villars  Brancas,  signed  a 
contract  of  marriage,  although  he  was  at  the  time  thirty* 
three  y(^'ir8  of  age,  with  the  daughter,  three  years  old, 
of  a  man  named  Andre,  who  had  won  millions  at  the' 
Mississippi  lottery.     The  conditions  of  the  marriage 
were,  that  it  should  take  place  when  the  girl  should 
reach  her  twelfth  year,  and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  the 
marquis  wa.s  to  receive  three  hundred  thousand  livres 
m  cash,  twenty  thousand  livres  every  year  until  the 
day  of  the  wedding,  when  several  millions  would  l>e 
paid  to  the  husband  by  the  father  of  the  bride.     All 
these  mcjteors,  who  were  thus  blazing  in  their  newly- 
acquired  splendor,  were  called  "  Mississippians,"  on  ac- 
count of  tlie  source  of  their  fortune. 

Let  us  now  turn  from  the  system,  to  its  inventor— to 
John  Law,  who,  under  such  circumstances  operating  in 
his  l^xvor,  was  adored  by  the  people;  and  as  usual,  they 
were  few  indeed  who  refrained  from  worshiping  the 
idol  of  the  hour,  and  from  burning  incense  at  his  shrine. 
He  was  a  favorite  with  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  Kegent 
of  France,  of  whom  he  wtxa  known  to  possess  the  ear ; 
and  on  his  abjuring  in  the  hands  of  Abbe  Tencin,  since 


iin 


I1P 

■ 

■Mi:: 

li: 
1  .  ■ 

liil 

i 

I 


822 


THE  ZENITH  OF  LAWS  PROSPERITY. 


a  cardinal,  the  Protestant  religion,  wliicli  was  the  only 
oKstade  to  hw  advancement  to  the  highest  offices  of  the 
state,  he  was  appointed,  on  the  5th  of  January,  17'"0, 
comptroller-general   of  the   finances  ol    the  kingciora. 
To  so  eminent  a  personage,  England  sent,  of  course,  a 
free  and  al)solut(i  pardon  for  l  ,u!  murder  of  Wilson ;  and 
Edinburgh,  proud  of  having  given  him  birth,  tendered 
him  the  freedom  of  the  city  in  a  gold  box.    Poets,  tuning 
their  lyres  to  sing  his  apotheosis,  declared  him  to  be  the 
Magnus  Apollo  of  the  age,  and  the  Academy  of  Sciences 
elected  him  one  of  its  honorary  membei-s.     It  is  impossi- 
ble not  to  pay  a  tribute  of  admiration  to  the  talents  of 
that  low-born  adventurer,  who,  in  less  than  four  years, 
by  his  own  unassisted  exertions,  and  even  in  despite  of 
the  most  strenuous  opposition  from  formidable  adver- 
saries, rose  from  a  suspicious  position  in  private  life,  to 
be  one  of  the  ministers  of  one  of  the  most  poweif ul  and 
enlightened  nations  of  the  world.     The  Duke  of  St. 
Simon,  who  knew  him  well,  and  who  writes  of  him  with 
partiality  in  his  celebrated  memoirs,  says,  that  Law  had 
a  strong  Scotch  accent,  but  that  although  there  was 
much  English  in  his  French,  he  was  exti'emely  persua- 
sive, and  that  he  had  the  peculiar  tact,  T)y  jissuming  an 
air  of  exquisite   candor,  frankness,   straightness,   and 
modest  diffidence,  to  throw  off  their  guard  those  he 
wished  to  seduce.     With  prodigious  powers  of  insinu- 
ation and  persuasion  he  must  indeed  have  been  gifted 
to  have  operated  all  the  wonders  we  have  seen ! 

^  Law,  who  had  the  pretension  of  enriching  every  body, 
did  not,  as  it  is  very  natural  to  suppose,  forget  his  own 
pecuniary  interest,  and  had  purchased  no  less  than  four- 
teen of  the  most  magnificent  estates  of  France  with 
titles  annexed  to  them,  and  among  which  was  the  Mar- 
quisate  of  Rosny ;  that  domain  had  been  owned,  and 
its  splendid  castle  had  been  occupied  as  a  favorite  resi- 


ILLUSTRATION'S  OF  LAW'S   POSITION  AND  BEAllLVO.    223 

dence  by  the  illustrious  fi-jend  and  minister  of  Henry 
tbe  IVth,  tlie  great  Sully,  who,  l.efore  he  was  created 
duke  of  that  name,  had  borne  the  title  of  Marquis  of 
Rosny.  ^  But  Law  had  attained  his  highest  degree  of 
prosperity,  and  the  wind  was  already  blowing  which 
was  to  prostrate  him  to  the  ground  from  his  towering 
altitude.  ^ 

The  year  1720,  which  saw  him  at  the  zenith  of  his 
prosperity,  witnessed  also  his  rapid  declension,  and  his 
ultimate  fall  into  the  abyss  of  adversity,  where  he  was 
forever  lost.     But  how  dazzling  his  position  was  on  the 
5th  day  of  that  year,  1720,  when  he  was  appointed 
comptroller-general  of  the  finances  of  the  kingdom! 
At  that  time,  he  Avas  literally  besieged  in  his  splendid 
palace  by  a  host  of  api)licants  and  supplicants  of  every 
description.     His  friendship  was  courted  with  cringing 
eagerness  by  princes,  dukes,  peers  of  the  realm,  mar- 
shals and  prelates,  who  reverentially  bowed,  and  bent  a 
supple  knee  to  the  upstart,  in  the  mean  hope  of  secur- 
ing his  patronage.    Nol)les  crowded  his  ante-chambers  in 
democratic  conjunction  with  a  motley  crew  of  people  of 
every  hue  and  feather.     It  was  thought  to  be  a  lucky 
accident  or  a  high  honor  to  attract  even  Lis  passing 
notice,  and  ladies  of  the  most  exalted  i-ank  were  not 
ashamed  to  ply  meretricious  smiles  to  win  his  favor. 

With^  no  very  great  stretch  of  the  imagination,  we 
may  ea.sily  conceive  the  occurrence  of  such  a  scene  as 
the  following:  far  fi-om  the  bustle  of  the  street,  and 
from  the  crowd  which  encumbers  his  apartments  of  re- 
ception, in  a  retired  but  richly  and  tastefully  decorated 
room  of  his  princely  residence,  John  Law  is  taking  his 
luncheon  in  the  sole  company  of  his  son,  his  daughter, 
and  his  pretended  wife,  who,  says  the  Duke  of'saint 
Simon,  was  a  high-born  English  lady.  Enamored  of 
Law,  she  had  left  her  family  and  dignified  position  in 


1 

^i^p 

I 

1 
if 

i 

i  * 

j 

1 

.  i 

lit 


Hiiiiilii, 


M  'I 


li 

' 

■1       'l 

■■■ '! 

] 

li  ^ 

.  ,   .  lUil^ 

\i.^ 

224 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  LAW'S  POSITION 


1,^     ! 


:f;ii| 


society,  to  follow  him.  She  was  very  luinghty,  and  the 
superciliousness  of  her  manners  was  hucIi,  tJiut  it  fre- 
quently became  inij)ertlnent.  She  rarely  paid  visits 
except  to  the  chosen  few :  she  received  homage  as  her 
due,  paid  none,  and  exercised  in  her  house  a  despotic 
authority.  Her  well-shaped  peri(»n  looked  noble,  and 
she  would  have  been  thouyht  handsome^,  if  a  horiid 
stain  of  the  color  of  red  wine  had  not  covered  half  of 
her  face  and  one  eye.  It  is  well  known  that  Law  al- 
ways treated  her  with  the  utmost  respect  and  ten- 
derness. 

Sitting  in  front  of  her  at  a  table  adorned  with  ex- 
quisitely carved  gold  and  silver  im})lements.  Law  seemed 
to  be  enjopng  with  peculiar  relish  the  (juiet  atmosphere 
of  his  family  circle.     Kow  and  then  his   confidential 
groom  of  the  ])ed-chambei'  glided  in,  and  whispered 
into  his  ear  the  arrival  of  sonic  distinguished  persona(»'e 
who  had  come  to  swell  the  retinue  that  filled  his  apart- 
ments,  and   anxiously  expected  his   appearai.ce.     At 
each  announcement  of  a  high-sounding  name,  of  a  duke, 
a  marshal,  a  great  dignitary  of  the  church,  a  smile  of 
triumi)h  would  flit  across  his  face,  and  he  would  ciist  a 
look  of  exultation  at  his  Avife,  whose  natural  pride  ap- 
peared to  be  intensely  alive  to  the  enjoyment  wdiich 
was   administered  to  it  hy  her  husband.     But   Law, 
keeping  his  self-composure,  Avould  answer,  with  the  ut- 
most unconcern,  and  without  hurrying  his  meal,  when- 
ever a  new  name  was  brought  in  to  him :  "  Well !  Avell ! 
let  him  wait !"    On  a  sudden,  the  servant  entered  again, 
but  not  with  the  same  measured  step,  and  cried  out  with 
a  voice  which  emotion  raised  fiir  beyond  its  usual  key : 
^'My  lord,  his  highness  the  Prhice  of  Conti."     Law 
jumped  up  as  if  the  irresistible  action  of  a  spring  in  his 
seat  had  forced  him  into  his  erect  attitude,  his  face  be- 
came  flushed,  and   his  limbs  trembled.      "  Ila  !"   ex- 


^ 

,[:    ■ 

ttlf 

Nl:'- 

., 

^H 

itU  ' 

^M;; 

- 

I 

B 

,Ml 

AND  BEARINO  IN  PROSPERITY.  225 

Claimed  he    "a  prince  of  the  royal  blood  under  my 
I  oof        But  a  thought  flashed  through  his  brain,  he 
knit  his  bnnvs,  compressed  his  lips,  locked  at  his  Ivife 
with  an  expression  of  intense  pride,  and  resuming  his 
chair,  composedly  turned  to  his  servant,  and  with  the 
same  tone  of  vmce  with  which  he  liad  answered  every 
other  call,  he  said :  "  Let  him  wait."     Here  is  somethin^^ 
to  moralize  upon,  if  moralizing  was  not  so  flat,  stale  and 
unprohtable.     A  Bourbon,  the  descendant  ^f  a  lon^ 
Imeof  kings,  to  be  kept  waiting  in  the  ante-chambei^ 
of  the  son  of  a  Scotch  goldsmith!     A  prince  of  the 
royal  blood  of  France  to  dance  attendance  on  a  low 
adventurer,  an  exiled  outlaw,  who  had  successively  and 
collectively  been  caJled  the  gambler,  the  swindler,  the 
profligate,  the  J.ankrupt,  the  adulterer,  the  murderer 
the  apostate      O  tlie  jx.wer  of  gold!     Can  we  not  di^ 
vme  the  feeling  that  made  Law's  blood  thrill  with  ex- 
citement!     Ours  must  l,e  one  of  unmitigated  contempt. 
^    ^ow  the  scene  has  shifted,  and  John  Law  is  rusticat- 
ing  at  his  castle  of  Kosny,the  once  proud  seat  of  Sully 
in  Normandy,     lieclinii.g  in  a  gothic,  richly  carved 
chair    with  a  high  back  still  retaining,  chiseled  in  its 
oak,  the  coat-of-arms  of  Sully,  and  tapering  into  a  point 
surmounted  by  a  duoal  crown,-in  the  very  chair  of 
state  of  that  haughty  feudal  baron,  and  with  his  feet 
resting  on  the  lower  and  more  modest  chair  of  the 
Duchess  of  Sully,  for  in  those  days  Sully's  wife  would 
not  have  dared  to  occupy  a  seat  of  equal  dignity  with 
that  of  her  lord,-our  great  financier,  John  Law,  before 
mdu  ging  m  his  nightly  repose,  is  reckoning  up  '^i  his 
mnu   his  acquired  wealth,  and  building  up  calculations 
stU  to  increase  its  already  enormous  l)ulk.     It  is  mid- 
inght--and  the  solemn  hour  of  twelve  strikes  at  the  bi^ 
tower's  clock  !     Hist  !-a  slow,  solemn  step  is  heardi 
It  comes  from  the  stair  running  up  the  turret  which 

p 


ri 


226 


THE  VISION  OF  LAW  IN  THE  CASTLE  OF  ROSNY. 


M'i 


I    J 


mm 


open '  into  Law's  room.  What  can  it  be  ?  The  light 
burns  blue  on  his  table : — Law's  soul  is  suddenly  awed 
with  the  consciousness  that  an  unnatural  atnios])here  is 
gathering  round  him.  His  hair  stands  erect:  a  cold 
chill  shoots  through  his  body,  and  his  eyes  involun- 
tarily turn  to  that  iron  door  which  the  strange  visitor 
is  gradually  approaching.  Oh,  wonder !  There  is  no 
using  of  the  key — no  unbaning- — and  yet  the  door 
grates  on  its  rusty  lunges — and  opens  wide.  God! 
can  it  be  true? — can  such  things  be? 

It  is  Sully  himself,  with  his  so  well-known  stern  face, 
and  with  the  same  antiquated  dress  in  Avhich  he  was 
clad,  Avhen  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  being  summoned 
from  his  retirement  to  the  court  of  Louis  the  Xllltli,  to 
give  advice  on  matters  of  importance,  and  his  unfashion- 
able appearance  having  provoked  a  laugh  from  those 
butterfly  courtiers  who  surrounded  the  young  king,  he 
frowned  them  down  with  an  air  of  inexpressible  majesty 
and  contem{)t,  and  then,  looking  at  the  crowned  son  of 
his  old  friend,  Henry  the  IVth : — ''  Sire,"  said  he,  "  when- 
ever the  king,  your  respected  father,  sent  for  me,  he 
used  to  dismiss  from  his  preser  ce  all  the  buffoons,  mas- 
queraders  and  jackanapes  of  the  palace." — It  is  the 
same  Sully,  to  whoi:'  the  king  having  exliil)ited  a  paper 
which,  to  the  disgrace  of  royalty,  he  had  signed  in  a 
moment  of  weakness,  seized  it,  tore  it  to  pieces,  and  on 
the  king  having  exclaimed :  "  Are  you  mad.  Sully !" 
answered,  "  AVould  to  God  that  I  were  the  only  mad- 
man in  your  kingdom !" — It  is  he,  whose  sense  of  his 
feudal  and  personal  dignity  wjis  such,  that  he  never 
would  descend  to  his  tei'raced  garden,  even  to  indulge 
in  an  early  morning  walk,  without  having  before  and 
behind  him  a  file  of  halberdiers  escorting  him  in  state. 
A  bold  man  John  Law  was.  But  when  this  apj)aritiou 
met  his  sight,  drops  of  cold  sweat  pearled  down  his 


nif 

Bf " 

COMMENCEMENT  OF  DIFFICULTIES. 


227 


forehead,  his  voice  stuck  in  his  throat,  and  terror  fet- 
tered him  to  his  seat,  as  if  his  limbs  had  been  bound 
with  chains  of  adamant.     Indeed,  a  stouter  heart  than 
his  would  have  been  frozen  by  the  gaze  which  Sully 
bent  upon  him,  a  gaze  in  which  were  so  vividly  ex- 
pressed intense,   indignant  surprise   at  the  witnessed 
profanation,  and  the  scowling  threat  of  condign  punish- 
ment.    Ay,  a  bolder  man  than  John  Law  would  have 
sunk  to  the  ground  when,  with  rapid  strides.  Sully  ad- 
vanced toward  him,  and  lifting  up  the  hunting  whip 
which  his  hand  tightly  grasped,  exclaimed,  "Dog  of  a 
stock-jobber!  vile  Scotch  hound,  darest  thou  pollute—" 
A  shriek  !~a  fearful  shriek  was  heard—and  John  Law 
shook  off  his  agonizing  dream.     Yea— it  was   only  a 
dream.     But  some  dreams  are  prophetic. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  Law  had  carried  on  all 
his  projects  so  far,  without  encountering  incessant  op- 
position.    Among  his   adversaries  the  parliament  of 
Pans  had  been  the  most  redoul)table,  and  that  power- 
ful body  had  been  always  on  the  watch  to  seize  a  fa- 
vorable  opportunity   to   crush   Law   and  his  system. 
That  opportunity  was  soon  to  present  itself.     Under- 
mined by  the  intrigues  of  his  other  colleagues  in  the 
ministry,  carried  away  by  the  innate  imperfections  of 
his  system  farther  than  he  had  intended,  terrified  at 
the  mighty  evolutions  of  the  tremendous  engine  he  had 
set  at  work,  and  could  no  longer  control  or  stop,  the 
victim  of  a  combination  of  envy,  apprehension,  igno- 
rance and  avarice,  waich  interfered  with  his  designs 
and  made  him  pay  too  dear  for  protection  or  assist^ 
ance,   Law  felt  that  tl  e   moment  of  his  fall  was  ap- 
proaching, and  saw  with  terror  the  threatening  oscilla- 
tions of  the  overgrown  fabric  he  had  reared.     He  tried 
to  conceal  his  embarrassments  by  inducing  the  company 
to  declare  that  they  had  such  a  command  of  funds  aa 


<)  p. 


.i'it 


■;■  I         i 

'■'  't 


.'IK'! 


i.l*,l  i 


228        EFFORTS  OF  LAW  TO  AVERT  THE  CATASTROPHE. 

to  be  able  to  propose  lending  any  sum  on  proper  secu* 
rity  at  two  per  cent.  But  in  vain  did  they  put  on  this 
show  of  confidence  in  their  own  resources : — the  smiling 
mask  deceived  nobody.  There  were  symptoms  which 
too  plainly  denoted  approaching  dissolution  and  death. 
Among  those  dark  spots  was  the  number  of  ])ank  notes 
which  had  been  manufactured,  and  which,  on  the  1st 
of  May,  1720,  exceeded  2G00  millions  of  livres,  while 
the  whole  specie  in  the  kingdom  amounted  only  to  1 300 
millions. 

Then  happened  what  has  been  frequently  seen  since : 
the  superabundance  of  paper  money  produced  a  scarcity 
of  specie.  It  became  evident  to  the  most  obtuse  that 
those  bank  notes  had  no  representativ  ,  and  that  sooner 
or  later  they  would  be  no  more  than  worthless  rags. 
As  soon  as  that  discov^ery  Avas  made,  every  one  hasten- 
ed to  convert  his  shares  or  bank  notes  into  gold  or  sil- 
ver, and  to  realize  the  fortune  he  had  acquired.  The 
most  keen-sighted,  or  the  most  prudent,  not  oniy  ex- 
changed their  notes  for  specie,  but  sent  it  out  of 
France  ;  and  it  is  calculated  that  in  this  way  the  king- 
dom was  drained  of  500  millions  of  livres.  To  avert 
the  danger  with  which  his  system  was  threatened.  Law, 
in  less  than  eight  months,  promulgated  thirty-tliree 
edicts  to  fix  the  value  of  gold  and  silver,  to  preserve 
and  to  increase  the  metallic  circulation,  and  to  limit  the 
amount  of  gold  and  silver  which  might  be  converted 
into  plate  and  jewelry.  No  payment  in  specie  could  be 
made  except  for  small  sums  :  the  standard  of  coin  was 
kept  in  the  most  bewildering  state  of  fluctuation,  while 
the  value  of  bank  notes  was  decreed  to  l)e  invariable. 
Rents,  taxes,  and  customs,  were  made  payable  in  pp])er 
only : — and  as  a  climax  to  these  high-handed  measures, 
individuals  as  well  as  secular  or  religious  communities 
were  prohibited,  under  very  severe  penalties,  from  hav- 


THE  BUBBLE  BURST. 


229 


ing  in  their  possession  more  than  500  livres  in  specie. 
This  ordinance  established  the  most  intolerable  inquisi- 
tion, and  gave  rise  to  the  most  vexatious  researches  on 
the  part  of  the  police.  The  house  of  no  citizen  was  free 
from  the  visits  of  the  agents  of  power,  and  every  man 
trembled  to  see  denunciation  lurking  by  his  fireside 
and  to  harbor  treason  by  the  very  altars  of  his  house- 
hold gods. 

The  alarm  of  the  public  mind  became  such,  that  it 
was  thought  necessary  to  equalize  the  proportion  be- 
tween the  bank  notes  and  the  coin;  and  on  the  i^lst  of 
May,  1720,  an  edict  was  issued,  which,  in  violation  of 
the  pledge  of  the  state,  and  of  the  most  solemn  stipula- 
tions, and  as  a  beginning  of  bankruptcy,  reduced  the 
value  of  the  company's  bank  notes  to  one  half,  and  cut 
down  the  shares  from  10,000,  and  even  20,000,  which 
Avas  their  highest  ascent,  to  5000  livres.     The  effect  of 
this  edict  was  instantaneous  and   overwhelmino-.     At 
once,  all  confidence  was  lost  in  the  bank  notes : — gene- 
ral consternation  prevailed:  and  no  one  would  have 
given  twenty  cents  in  hard  coin  for  millions  in  bank 
paper.     There  was  a  rush  on  the  bank  for  payment, 
and  one  will  easily  form  a  conception  of  the  fury,  de- 
spair and  distress  of  the  people,  when  he  is  informed 
that  on  the  stopping  of  payment  by  the  bank,  there 
was  paper  in  circulation  anKninting  to  2,2,'55,085,590 
livres.     The  whole  of  it  was  suddenly  reduced  to  zero. 
In  the  whole  of  France  tliere  was  but  one  howl  of  mal- 
ediction, and  guards  had  to  be  given  to  Law,  who  had 
become  an  object  of  popular  abhorrence.     Even  the  life 
of  the  Regent  himself  was  put  in  jeopardy,  and  it  l)e- 
came  necessary  to  station  troops  in  different  parts  of 
Paris,  where  seditious  and  inflammatory  libels  had  been 
posted  up  and  circulated,  to  inoi'case  the  confusion  and 
tumultut»u8  disorder  vlndi    reigned  everywhere.      It 


■^^^■Frt'>ir^ 

1 

IB  '' 

1 

I^^H  , 

F 

?■«'      1 

11             III  ;i 

i 

i 

^ii            ■    '  '  -  ■ ;        • 

k,            '    \^    i 

I  ■  1 ' 

'.I'll 


m^ 


>■      ''    'l': 


!;i 


'    u 

-'1  4 

v   I 

^l-l 

• 

11 

1  ! 

!LflL 


230 


REVOLUTION  IN  PUBLIC  OPINION 


ii 


mi 


I     i 


was  apparent  that  France  liad  been  transformed  into  a 
volcano,  from  whicli  the  slightest  cause  would  have  pro- 
duced an  eruption. 

With  regard  to  Louisiana,  there  had  been  also  a  great 
revolution  in  the  public  estimate  of  her  merits.     She 
was  no  longer  described  as  the  land  of  promise,  but  as 
a  terrestrial  representation   of   Pandemonium,      The 
whole  country  was  nothing  else,  it  was  said,  but  a  vile 
compound  of  marshes,  lagoons,  swamps,  bayous,  fens, 
bogs,  endless  prairies,  inextricaljle  and  gloomy  forests, 
peopled  with  every  monster  of  the  natural  and  of  the 
mythological  world.     The  Mississippi  rolled  onward  a 
muddy  and  thick  substance,  which  hardly  deserved  the 
name  of  water,  and  which  was  alive  with  every  insect 
and   every  reptile.     Enormous  trunks,  branches   and 
fragments  of  trees  were  swept  down  by  the  velocity  of 
the  current,  and  in  such  quantity  as  almost  to  bi'idge 
oyer  the  Ijed  of  the  river,  and  they  prevented  commu- 
nication from  one  bank  to  the  other,  by  ci'ushing  every 
bark  or  canoe  that  attempted  the  passage.     At  one 
epoch  of  the  year,  the  whole  country  was  overflowed 
by  that  mighty  river,  and  then,  all  the  natives  betook 
themselves  to  the  tops  of  trees,  where  they  roosted  and 
lived  like  monkeys,  and  jumi)ed  from  tree  to  tree  in 
search  of  food,  or  they  retired  to  artificial  hills  of  shells, 
piled  up  by  preceding  generations,  where  they  starved, 
or  fed  as  they  could  by  fishing  excursions. 

In  many  of  its  parts,  the  country  was  nothing  but  a 
thin  coat,  one  foot  thick,  of  alluvial  soil,  kept  together 
on  the  surface  of  the  water  by  the  intermingletf  tegu- 
ments of  Ijind-weeds  and  the  roots  of  other  plants,''so 
that  if  one  walked  on  this  crnst,  he  made  it,  by  the 
pressure  of  tlie  weight  of  his  Ijody,  heave  up  around 
him,  in  imitation  of  the  waves  of  the  sea,  and  great  was 
the  danger  of  sinking   through  this    weak'  texture. 


pu 


IN  REGARD  TO  LOUISIANA. 


231 


Temptingly  looking  fruits  and  berries  invited  the  taste, 
it  is  true,  but  tliey  were  all  poisonous.  Such  portion 
of  the  colony  as  was  not  the  production  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  therefore  a  mere  deposit  of  mud,  was  the;  cre- 
ation of  the  sea,  and  consisted  in  heaps  of  sand.  Hence 
it  was  evident,  that  the  country  was  neither  fit  for  the 
purposes  of  commerce  nor  for  those  of  agriculture,  and 
could  not  be  destined  by  the  Creator  for  "the  habitation 
of  civilized  man.  The  sun  wiis  so  intensely  hot,  that  at 
noon  it  could  strike  a  man  dead  as  if  with  a  pistol  shot : 
—it  A\^as  called  a  stroke  of  the  sun.  Its  fiery  l)reath 
drew  from  the  bogs,  fens,  and  marshes  the  most  pesti- 
lential vapors,  engendering  disease  and  death.  The  cli- 
mate was  so  damp,  that  in  less  than  a  week  a  bnr  of 
iron  would  be  coated  over  with  rust  and  eaten  u^)  by 
its  corroding  tooth.  The  four  seasons  of  the  year  would 
meet  in  one  single  day,  and  a  shivering  morning  was 
not  unfrequently  succeeded  by  a  sultry  evening.  The 
ear  w\as,  by  day  and  by  night,  assailed  by  the  howls  of 
wolves,  and  with  the  croakings  of  frogs  so  big  that  they 
swallowed  children,  and  could  bellow  as  loud  as  bulls. 
Sleep,  sweet  sleep,  nature's  balmy  i-estorer,  was  dis- 
turbed, if  not  altogether  made  impossible,  by  the  buz 
and  stings  of  myriads  of  mosijuitoes,  which  thickened 
the  atmosphere  and  incorporated  themselves  with  the 
very  air  which  the  lungs  inhaled. 

In  such  a  country,  tlie  European  race  of  men  rapidly 
degenerated,  and  in  less  tlian  three  generations  was  re- 
duced from  the  best-proportioned  size  to  the  dwarfish 
dimensions  of  misshapen  pigmies.  As  soon  as  the  emi- 
grant landed,  he  was  seized  with  disease,  and  if  he  re- 
covered, the  rosy  hue  of  health  had  forever  fled  from 
his  cheeks : — his  wrinkled  and  sallow  skin  hung  loosely 
on  his  bones,  from  which  the  flesh  had  almost  entirely 
departed: — his  system  could  never  be  braced  uj)  again: 


-  -'-  i 

-J. 


\   )l 


i   ' 

,i 

1 

\^M 

ll  J, 

1 

!■ 

1 

■ 

'I'li  ' 

1 

;  1    ■ 

1  .: 

1 

1  f^ 

m 

233 


EFFECTS  OF  THE  MISREPRESENTATIONS 


.ii|.< 


Hb  i      .L:  ' 


and  he  dragged  on  a  miserable,  sickly  existence,  which 
tortunately  was  not  of  long  duration.     In  such  a  cli- 
raate,  old  age  was  entirely  unknown,  and  the  statistical 
.      average  of  life  did  not  exceed  ton  years.     There,  man 
lost  the  energies  both  of  his   body  and   mind,   and 
through  the  enervatin;::  ■  .-'  lydeiul  influence  of  the  at- 
mosphere, soon  becanio      ^    "ed  into  an  indolent  idiot 
J^ven  the  brutish  creatio..  aid  not  escape  the  inflictions 
to  which  humanity  was  sul>ject,  and  experienced  the 
same  rapid   transformations.     Thus,  in  a  short   time 
horses  were  reduced  to  the  size  of  sheep,  cattle  to  that  of 
rabbits,  hogs  gradually  shrunk  up  so  as  to  be  no  bier- 
ger  than  rats,  and  fowls  dwindled  into  the  diminished 
proportions  of  sparrows.     As  to  the  natives,  they  were 
cannibals  who  i    .sessed  all  the  malignity  and  magical 
arts  of  demons,  and  waged  incessant  war  against  the 
emigrants,  whose  flesh  they  devoured  with  peculiar  rel- 
ish.    Ihis  delineation  of  the  features  of  Louisiana  was 
very  diflrerent  from  those  of  the  first  portrait,  so  many 
copies    of    which   had    been    industriously   circulated 
through  h  ranee.     It  had  been  Hyperion ;  now  it  was  a 
featyr. 

It  is  easy  to  conceive  the  startling  effects  produced 
on  the  minds  of  a  people  already  in  a  paroxysm  of  con- 
sternation,  by  such  malicious  miorepresentations,  which 
tlie  enemies  of  Law  took  care  to  scatter  far  and  wide 
Ihus,  the  tide  of  emigration  which  was  pouring  onward 
rolled  back,  and  the  prosi,oct  of  establishino-  a  power- 
ful colony  m  Louisiana,  which,  at  first,  had  appeared  so 
feasible,  and  loomed  out  to  the  imagination  of  the  spec- 
ulator  in  such  vivid  colors,  and  \vitli  such  fair  propor- 
tions,  was  nipped  in  the  bud,  and  was  looked  u]X)n  as 
an  impossdjility.     Under  the  exagg(n-ated  and  gloomy 
apprehensions  of  the  mom(3nt,  no  actual  tender  of  money 
and  no  promises  of  future  reward,  could  hav  j  tempted 


-  m 


OP  LAW'S  ENEMIES. 


233 


any  body  to  embark  for  Louislnna.     So  universal  was 
the  terror  inspired  by  the  name  of  the  Mississippi,  that 
as  It  IS  a  well-known  fact,  it  became  even  a  bugbear  of 
the  nursery,  and  that,  for  half  a  century  after  the  ex- 
plosion  of  Law's  great  Mississii>pi  scheme,  when  French 
chil(b-en  were  unruly  and  unmanageable,  and  when  all 
threats  had  proved  ineffectual,  tlie  mother  would    in 
the  last  resort,  lift  up  her  finger  impressively,  and  in  a 
whispering  tone,  as  if  afraid  of  speaking  too  loud  of 
something  so  horrible,  would  say  with  a  shudder,  and 
with  pale  lips  to  her  rebellious  progeny  :  "  IIusli  i  or  I 
will  send  you  to  the  Mississippi !''     The  child  looked 
imploringly  into  his  mother's  face,  his  passion  vanished 
his  cries  and  sobs  were  stifled,  and  under  the  soft  kisses 
of  maternal  affection,  coupled  with  the  assurance  that 
he  never  would  be  sent  to  the  Mississippi,  he  fell  into 
gentle  and  undisturl)ed  sleep. 

_    However,  the  Western  or  Mississippi  Company  hav- 
ing  contracted  the  obligation  to  colonize  Louisiana,  and 
to  transport  thither,  within  a  fixed  time,  a  certain  num- 
ber of  emigrants,  fomid  itself  under  the  necessity-  in 
order  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  its  contract,  to  have 
recourse   to  the  most  iniquitous  and  unlawful  means 
As  It  was  indispensable  that  tliere  should  be  emigration 
-when   It  ceased  to  be  voluntary,  it  was   necessary 
that  It  should  l)e  forced.     Thus  violence  was  resorted 
to,  and  throughout  France  agents  were  dispatched  to 
kulnap  all  vagrants,  beggars,  gipsies,  or  people  of  the 
like  description,   and  women  of  bad   rei)ute.     Unfor- 
tunately, the  power  given  by  the  government  to  these 
agents  of   the  company  was  al^used  in  the  most  in- 
famous manner.     It  became  in  tlieir  hands  an  engine 
o  pocuhition,  (>i)i)ression,  and  corruption.     It  is  incredi- 
bJe  what   a   numl>er   of  respect;il>le    people,   of  both 
sexes,  were  put,  through  bribery,  in  the  hands  of  tlu.se 


i'  \\ 


k 


S34 


MEANS  RESORTED  TO  BY  THE  COMPANY. 


,fal, 


satellites  of  an  arbitrary  government,  to  gratify  private 
malice  and  the  dark  passions  or  interested  views  of  men 
in  power.  A  purse  of  gold  slipped  into  the  hand,  and  a 
whisper  in  the  ear,  went  a  great  way  to  get  rid  of  obnox- 
ious persons,  and  many  a  fearful  tale  of  revenge,  of  ha- 
tred, or  of  cupidity,  might  Ije  told  of  persons  who  were 
unsuspectedly  seized  and  carried  away  to  the  banks  of 
the  Mississippi,  before  their  voices  could  be  heard  wlien 
crying  for  justice,  or  for  pi-oteetion.  The  dangerous 
rival,  the  hated  Avife,  or  troul)lesome  husband,  the  im- 
portuning crciditor,  tlie  prodigal  son,  or  the  too  long- 
lived  father,  the  one  who  hapj)ened  to  be  an  obstacle  to  an 
expected  inheritance,  or  crossed  the  path  of  the  wealthy 
or  of  the  po^xerful,  b(>came  the  victims  of  their  position, 
and  Mere  soon  hurried  away  with  the  promiscuous  herd 
of  thieves,  prostitutes,  vagabonds,  and  all  sorts  of 
wretches  of  bad  fame  who  had  been  swept  together,  to 
be  transported  to  Louisiana. 

Guarded  by  a  merciless  soldiery,  they,  on  their  way 
to  sea-ports,  filled  up  the  public  roads  of  France  like 
droves  of  cattle,  and  a.s  they  were  hardly  furnished  with 
means  of  sul)sistenc(^  or  with  clothing  by  their  heart- 
less conductors,  who  speculated  on  the  food  and  other 
supplies  with  which  they  were  bound  to  })rovide  their 
prisoners,  they  died  in  large  numbers,  and  tlieir  un- 
buried  corpses,  rotting  above  ground,  struck  with  ter- 
ror the  inhal)itants  of  the  districts  through  Avhicli  the 
woe-begone  caravan  had  passed.  At  niglit,  tliey  were 
locked  up  in  barns,  Avhen  any  could  be''foim(l,  and  if 
not,  they  were  forced,  the  l)etter  to  prevent  escape,  to 
lie  down  in  heaps  at  the  bottom  of  ditches  and  holes, 
and  sentinels  Avere  put  I'ound  to  watch  over  them! 
Hunger  and  cold  pinched  tlu;  miserable  creatures,  and 
their  haggard  looks,  emaciated  bodies,  and  loud  wailings, 
carried  desolation  everywhere.     Such  sights,  added  to 


LAW  SUMMONED  BET^ORE  THE  PARLIAMENT. 


235 


the  horrifying  descriptions  which  were  given  of  Louisiana, 
made  its  name  more  terrific  to  the  minds  of  tlie  people  of 
France  than  that  of  the  celebrated  Bastile  and  its  dark 
dungeons.  Dull  indeed  must  be  the  imagination  of  the 
novelist,  who,  out  of  these  strictly  historical  focts,  could 
not  extract  the  most  romantic  and  heart-rending  tales ! 
Law  was  considered  as  the  author  of  all  these  cruel- 
ties and  misfortunes,  and  he  became  still  more  odious 
to  the  people.  The  parliament  of  Paris  thought  that 
the  moment  was  come  at  last  to  pounce  upon  Law  ;  and 
to  gratify  their  long-clierished  resentment,  he  was  sum- 
moned to  appear  in  person  before  that  high  tri])unal,  to 
answer  for  his  misdeeds  and  for  his  violations  of  the 
laws  of  the  kingdom.  On  his  refusal  or  neglect  to  do 
so,  the  parliament  ordered  him  to  be  arrested,  and  had 
determined,  on  his  being  brought  to  the  palace  where 
they  sat,  to  close  their  doors  ;  and  .11  order  to  prevent 
the  expected  intei-ference  of  the  Regent,  their  intention 
was  to  try  summarily  the  hated  foreigner,  and  to  hang 
him  in  their  court-yard.  Thus,  if  the  Regent,  as  it  was 
anticipated,  sent  troops  to  batter  down  the  gates  of  the 
parliament-house,  to  save  his  favorite,  they  would  arrive 
too  late,  and  would  find  there  nothing  but  a  gallows 
and  a  corpse.  Aware  of  this  j^lau,  Law  left  his  resi- 
dence and  fied  to  the  Regent's  palace,  which  was  the 
only  place  where  he  Mt  himself  secure  against  the  pur- 
suit of  his  enemies.  There  he  cast  himself  at  the  feet 
of  his  august  protector,  and  bathed  his  hands  with 
tears.     What  a  change  ! 

"  Tliis  is  tlio  state  of  man  :  to-day  he  puts  forth 
Tlie  toiuli-r  leaves  of  hope,  to-morrow  blossoms, 
And  hears  liis  hlushiiig  honors  thick  upon  him : 
The  third  day  conies  a  frost, — a  kilhiii,'  frost: 
And — when  he  thinks,  i^'ood  easy  man,  full  surely 
His  ',Toatnes3  is  a  ripening — nips  his  root, 
And  then  hu  falls." 


M 


U         ' 


'       If 


I!. 


1    I  ;. 


,i    \i 


i':i 


ii   'I: 

1 

1    ■ 
U.- Jj 

j 

A 

m 

236 


THE  DOWNFALL  y)V  r,AW. 


TJic  K('^'(>nt,  rruvo  to  Law  iisMuraiicii  ofliiM  ])iot,(!ctioii 
mid  voiiclnid  (or  his  life;   |„it   il,is  w.-w  all  lie  could  do- 
IIc  hiid  to  Itovv  to  the  foi-c-c  of  |)ii!.Iic  o|.iiii,,ii,  and  to 
Ix'iid  to  tlu'stonu  which  nicnaccd  (>v('ii  hiN  loyal  pci-Hori. 
Jt  wascvidciif.  that  Law  could  no  lon,«r,.|.  stay  in  Kmnce. 
In  the  inc.-ni  time,  (he  lictccnt,  irrilatcd  at  tli((  |)ivsiinip- 
tion  of  the  |)Miliariiciit,  exiled   tluit   body  to  Pontois(- 
but  public  indi,i,ni;:lion  still  i^'atlienn,-,'  fivsh  Iik'I  from 
that  wry  circunisfaiu-e,  the   Duke  of  Orleans  provided 
Law,  who   resii^nied   the    oMice   o|'  coinj>troller-<,''eiu  ral 
with  the  means  of  escaj.ini,'  out  of  tlu^  kin^douL     On 
the  L»Jd  of  December,  I7li(>,  Law   arrived   jit    Urussels, 
Avhere  he  wailed  for  some  tinu'  in  the  vjiiu  expectation 
ofl.eiui;  recalled,     l^ar  from   it,   Ik;  discoveivd,  to  his 
dismay,  that  when  a  man    is  slidiiur  ,h)wn  the  hill  (►{' 
l)r(»sperity,  his  best   friends,  instead   of  eiideavoriii.,^  to 
arrest  his  fall,  will  not   unfre(piently  hel])  him   down 
with  a  kick.     'I'hus,  the  (Jreat  Western  or  Mississippi 
Company,  to  which  h(>  had  stood  sponsor  or  godfather, 
lifted  up  a  i)arricidal  hand  a,i!:ainst  liim ;  and  under  tho 
nlle,i,''ation  that  !iis  accounts   had   not    been    faithfully 
ke})t  and  rendered,  liad  proceeded  to  seize  all  his  prop 
erty,and   had   theivby  deprived   him  of  all  means  of 
subsistence.       He  did   not  lose  however  the   favor  of 
tlie  Kei,^'nt,  avIio  api)ointed  liini  ministei-  of  France  at 
the  court  of  Havaria,  where  he  resided   ,i,itil  the  death 
of  that  pi'ince.     Then   he  traveled  thront,di  numy  parts 
i)f  Lui'ope,  but   found  everywheiv  that  danu'  Fortune 
was  tired  of  smilinp:   upon   him.     He  Inrame  but  too 
sensible  that  he  was  a  discai'ded   lov(>i-,  and   that  her 
favors  were  I.cstowed  on  some  other  favoi'ite. 

In  October,  UiM,  he  returiu'd  to  Fn-laiul,  and  at 
first  was  received  with  distinction  by  jjcrsons  of  hio'h 
rank  :  he  was  even  ])r(>sent<>d  to  (ieori»'c  tho  1st.  It 
hud  been  shrewdly  suspected  that  he  had  retained  a 


Iiliilly 


!ul  at 
t.     It 


Tin:  cLosK  OF  laws  career— his  dkatu. 


237 


considciaMc  portion  of  IiIh  cjiorrnous  Avcalth,  of  which 
it  was  prcsiiiiicd  that  \iv.  had  \)vvn  j)ni(h-nt  onou<^di,  in 
hi.s  ])a]my  days,  to  send  not  a  small  fraction  ont  of 
France.  I'.nt  when  it  was  discovered  that  he  was  re- 
duced to  beu^u^ary,  ])eo])le  railed  at  his  sn])rerrie  want  of 
discretion  at  not  providini,^  Ix^tter  for  himself,  and  they 
felt  indii^iiantatthe  ])resiim|)tiious  cheat,  who  had  heen 
wheiHJlini,'  himself  into  their  society  under  th*;  false 
im})ressi()n  Ihat  he  was  rich.  As  soon  as  it  was  ascer- 
tain(!(l  that  Ik;  was  pooi-,  it  f(;llow(;d  of  course  that  he 
Wits  nobody,  and  no  lonu^cr  to  be  countenanced  or  no- 
tic((d.  Out  of  an  innum(!ral>le  liost  of  fri(;nds,  the 
Countess  of  Sud'olk  Avas  the  only  one  that  remained 
true  to  him.  T.et  it  stand  <m  record  in  justice  to  lier 
and  for  the  honor  of  woman  !  This  indeed  was  another 
of  those  hut  too  strikiu",'  instances  of  tlu^  mutability  of 
fortune  and  of  the  instability  of  friendshij). 

In  1 722,  John  Law  turned  his  l)ack  u])on  England 
for  the  last  time,  and  ivturning  to  the  Contin(;nt,  re- 
tired to  Venice,  where  he  lived  in  o})scui-ity,  and  where 
ho  died  on  the  t>lst  of  March,  1729,  in  a  state  of  indi- 
gence, and  in  the  flfty-cit^dith  year  of  his  age.  He  had 
lost  his  wife  and  his  only  son,  and  there  remalncHl  with 
him  to  solace  his  last  moments  but  oiu^  faithful  heart,  a 
sweet  Antigone,  who  dosed  his  eyelids.  That  w^'is  his 
daughter.  She  afterwiird  mai-ried  Lord  Wallingford 
in  Knglan<l.  A  branch  of  the  family  of  Law  has  ])re- 
served  to  this  day  in  France  a  very  honorable  position 
in  society.  A  bi-other  whom  he  left  in  that  kingdom 
when  he  tied  iVom  it,  was  taken  under  the  special  pro- 
tection of  the  Duchess  of  Uoui'bon.  Thi'ough  her  favor 
two  of  his  sons  found  em])l(>yment,  in  1741,  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  lOast  India  ''unpany.  and  greatly  distin- 
guished themselves.  The  eldest  one,  Lawde  Lauriston, 
rose  to  the  rank  of  niajoi'-general,  and  to  be  governor- 


1      '[>   \  , '. 

]j\\ 

''  'M^ 

' ' , '   ' 

j      ■.- 

'  1 

■-m 

liil 


<i 


..  I 


j  ^ 

■  .1 
'1 

f    { 

M 

L 

*    * 


f  .-11  ..    . 


4  '■  >  M 


11 1: 


238 


CONCLUDING  RFMARKS. 


general  of  tlie  French  possessions  in  India.  lie  left 
several  sons ;  two  perished  in  the  unfortunate  expedi- 
tion of  La  Pcyrouse,  and  one  of  tlu^ni  lived  to  be  known 
under  the  reif,'n  of  Louis  the  XVIIIth,  as  Marquis  de 
Lauriston,  a  lieutenant-general  and  a  peer  of  P^'rance. 

We  have  followed  Law  through  all  the  phases  of  his 
eventful  career,  until,  crossing  with  him  the  Bridge  of 
Sighs,  we  have  left  him  dying  in  Venice,  "  that  sea 
Cybele  with  lier  tiara  of  towers — the  revel  of  the 
eai'th— the  masque  of  Italy."  A  fit  tomb  for  such  a 
man  !  Now  that  the  last  act  of  this  varied  drama  has 
been  played,  let  the  curtain  drop,  lea\  ing  to  the  judg- 
ment of  impartial  i)osterity  the  memory  of  John  Law 
of  Edinburgh. 


*      ,t 


SECOND  LECTURE. 

Bienville  appointed  Governoe  ok  Louisiana  for  tub  second  time,  in  the  plaob 

OF  L'El-INAY— FOIINPATIOX  OK  NkW  OllLEANS— Ex1>EDIT10N  OK  St.  DeNIS,  BbAU- 
LIEU,    AND    OnilCUS    TO    MkXICO— Al.VRNTUllKS   OK    St.    DeNIS— LaNU     CONCESSIONS 

—Slave-tuade— Taking  ok  Pensacola  uv  the  French— The  Spaniards  re- 
take it,  and  BESIEOE  DaUPHINE  IsLANI)— 1'kNSAIOLA  ACAIN  TAKEN  DY  THE  FrENCH 

—Situation  op  the  Country  as  nKscRiuEn  uy  Uienvii.i.k— The  Chevalier  des 
Grieux  and  Manon  LKsrAUT— CiiAN.iEs  i;  ;k  Organization  ok  the  Judiciary 
—Edict  in  Relation  to  Commerce— Adventures  ok  the  Princess  Charlotte 
OP  Brunswick,  ok  Belle  isle,  and  others— Seat  ok  Government  tkanskerhkd 
to  New  Orleans— Miscellaneous  Facts  and  Events  fkom  1718  to  1722. 

In  the  last  lecture,  we  examined  the  effects  produced 
in  France  by  the  creation  of  tlie  Mississippi  Company, 
and  by  the  operations  of  Law's  gigantic  system  of  finan- 
ces. Let  us  now  proceed  to  ascertain  what  influence 
they  had  on  tlie  prosperity  and  destinies  of  Louisiana, 
and  to  record  the  series  of  events  accompanying  the 
colonization  of  the  country. 

I  have  already  said  that  Law,  who  was  the  director- 
general  of  the  Royal  Bank  of  France,  was  also  appointed 
director-general  of  the  Mississippi  Company.  The  other 
directors  were,  D'Artaguette,  receiver-general  of  the 
finances  of  Auch ;  Duche,  receiver-general  of  the  finan- 
ces of  La  Roclielle ;  Moroau,  deputy  representative  of 
the  merchants  of  St.  Malo ;  Piou,  also  the  commercial 
representative  and  deputy  of  Nantes ;  Castaignes  and 
Mouehard,  merchants  of  La  Rochelle. 

The  company,  being  thus  organized,  sent  three  vessels 
to  Louisiana,  with  three  companies  of  infantry  and  sixty- 
nine  colonists,  who  landed  on  the  9th  of  March,  1718, 


1 

•  l" 

[ '     '    ' 

OMMENCEMENT  OF  BIENVILLE'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

and  who,  by  their  presence  and  the  information  they 
broun^ht,  revived  the  hope  of  better  days.     The  office 
of  Governor  of  Louisiana  was  defhiiti\'ely,  and  for  the 
second  time,  granted  to  Bienville,  as  successor  to  L'Epi- 
nay,  Avho  exei'cised  ^lis  powers  only  for  a  few  months, 
durinof  wliich  lie  made  himself  very  unpoj)ular,  by  pro- 
hibiting the  sale  of  spirituous  licpiors  to  the  Indians. 
The  humanity  of  this  provision  did  not  seem  to  strike 
the  colonists  as  forcibly  as  their  ruler,  and  fiiiled  to  out- 
weigli  other  considerations.     They  complained  of  the 
want  of  policy  displayed  in  that  ordinance,  and  they 
represented,  no  doubt  witli  truth,  that  the  selling  of 
French  brandy  was  the  most  profitable  article  of  com- 
merce which  thoy  could  command,  and  their  most  pow- 
erful source  of  influence  over  the  Indian  nations.     It 
was,  therefore,  with  great  satisfaction,  that  the  colonists 
learned  the  nomination  of  Bienville.     Besides,  he  had 
passed  nineteen  years  in  the  colony,  of  which  he  was 
one  of  the  founders :  and  familiar  with  all  its  resources 
and  wants,  he  had  endeared  himself  to  all  the  inhab- 
itants, every  one  of  whom  he  knew  personally. 

The  fii'st  act  of  Bienville's  new  administration  was  an 
important  one.  It  was  to  select  the  most  favorable 
place  (Ml  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  for  the  location 
of  the  principal  establishment  of  the  colony.  Ho  chose 
the  s})ot  where  now  stands  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  and 
he  there  left  a  detachment  of  fifty  men  to  pref)are  the 
ground  and  erect  barracks  or  sheds.  The  geogi-aphy 
of  the  country  shows  it  to  have  been  the  most  judicious 
choice,  and  the  present  imjiortance  of  New  Orleans  tes- 
tifies to  the  sagacity  of  Jiienville.  In  so  doing,  he 
showed  not  only  foresight  and  piM'spicacity,  but"  also 
great  firmness  and  independence:  because  he  dared  to 
act  against  the  predih'ctions  of  his  government,  which 
had  a  strong  leaning  for  Manchac,  where  a  luitural  com- 


HE  FOUNDS  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  ORLEANS. 


241 


munication  was  open  with  the  lakes  through   bayou 
Manchac  and  the  river  Amite. 

The  space  now  occupied  by  New  Orleans  was  then 
entirely  covered  with  one  of  those  primitive  forests 
with  which  we  are  so  familiar.     Owing  to  the  annual 
inundations  of  the  river,  it  was  swampy  and  marshy, 
and  cut  up  with  a  thousand  small  ravines,  ruts,  and 
pools  of  stagnant  waters  when  the  river  was  low.     The 
site  was  not  inviting  to  the  physical  eye,  but  Bien\alle 
looked  at  it  with  the  mind's  vision.     His  intellect  hov- 
ered over  the  whole  country,  from  his  native  valleys 
of  Canada,  down  the  Mississippi,  in  the  footsteps  of  La 
Salle,  through  those  Ijoundless  regions  whose  commer- 
cial emporium  he  foresaw  that  New  Orleans  was  des- 
tined to  be.     Were  I  a  painter,  I  would  delight  in 
delineating  and  fixing  on  living  canvas  the  scene  which 
my  imagination  conjures  up. 

Bienville  had  arrived  with  his  sturdy  companions  on 
the  preceding  evening;    and  now  the  sun  is  peeping 
through  his  eastern  curtains,  and  flings  a  glow  of  ra- 
diancy over  the  dawning  beauty  of  the  morning  land- 
scape.    In  obedience  to  the  command  received,  fifty 
axes  have,  in  concert,  struck  fifty  gigantic  sons  of  the 
forest.     With  folded  arms  and  abstracted  look,  Bien- 
ville stands  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  seems,  from 
the  expression  of  his  face,  to  be  wrapped  up  in  the  con- 
templation of  some  soul-stirring  fancies.     Perhaps  he 
had  glimpses  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city  of  hia 
creation,  and  was  blessed  with  the  revealed  prospect  of 
its  future  grandeur.     Far   aloft,  above  his  head,  the 
American  eagle  might  have  been  observed  towering 
with   repeated  gyrations,  and   uttering  loud  shrieks 
which  sounded  like  tones  of  command.     Of  the  Indian 
race  only  one  representative  was  there.     It  Avas  an  old 
sibyl-looking  woman,  who  had  the  wild  glance  of  in- 


:'  '■■■'W^] 

jS 

•il      ':'.  I 

\1          ,'       ■■\ 

i    ,  ■ ,  i 

t 

iiV\.-\ 


>\\ 


m: ' :: 


243 


EXrRDTTION  OP  MAtTURU  AND  OTIIKRS 


1*1 


eanity  or  of  (livlnation  ;  and  with  the  soloinii  ji^oRticnla- 
tioris  of  prophotic  inspiration,  slio  kept  sini^ing  an 
uncoutli  sort  of  cliant,  in  which  she  said  that  t'he  time 
of  which  she  had  heen  warned  hy  tlie  Great  Sinrit  liad 
come  at  hist:  that  In^r  <h'ath-li()nr  was  apin'oaching", 
which  was  to  !)e  on  tlie  day  wluni  wliite  nuMi  wo.vo  to 
takci  possession  of  tln^  spot  wher(!  she  liad  dwelt  during 
a  hundred  summers  and  wint(;rs,  and  ndu'n  tliey  Avould 
cut  down  th(!  oak,  muhn'  th(>  shade;  of  whicli  slie  liad 
iridul<^ed  so  long  lier  solitary  nnisiTigs.  "'^riie  Spirit 
tells  mo,"  so  slu;  sang,  *'  thi't  the  time  Avill  conu;,  when 
Ijetween  tin;  river  and  the  hike  there:  will  he  as  many 
dwellings  for  tlie  white  man  as  thtire  are  trees  standing 
now.  The  haunts  of  the  red  man  an;  (h)omed,  and  faint 
recollections  and  traditions  conc(;rning  the  very  exist- 
ence of  his  race  will  float  dimly  over  the  memory  of 
Lis  successors,  as  unsuhstantial,  as  vague  and  obscure 
as  the  mist  which  shrouds,  ou  a  winter  morning,  the 
bed  of  the  father  of  rivers." 

I  said  before,  that,  oii  tlu^  retui'ii  of  k"^t.  DiMiis  to 
Mohile,  in  ITK),  after  his  adventures  in  Mexico,  a  vain 
attempt  had  been  made  by  Orozat  to  open  commercial 
relations  with  th(>  Sj)anish  ])rovinces  of  North  America, 
and  that,  lu>  had  disj)atched,  with  that  object  in  view, 
three  Canadians  nanu'd  Delory,  Lafrdnii^re,  and  Hean- 
Ueu.  They  were  hai'dly  vn  their  way  to  accomplisli 
their  inlssioii«,  when  they  were  joined  by  the  indefati- 
l^able  and  persevering  St.  Denis.  At  Natchitoches  th(>y 
procured  mules  and  horses,  and  with  them  continued 
their  mai'ch  onward.  When  they  reached  tlw;  first 
village  of  the  Assinais,  where  it  became  necessary  for 
them  to  rest  awhile,  and  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  ])rovisions, 
St.  l>enls,  who,  it  will  b(>  remembered,  had  lately  left 
Lis  wll'e  at  the  Presidio  did  Nort(^  shortly  after  his  mar- 
riage, and  who  had  reluctantly  torn  himself  from  her 


la- 


TO  THE  SPANISH  SETTLEMENTS. 


243 


embraces  to  discliarge  tlie  <luty  of  rendering  to  the 
French  governor  at  Mobile  an  account  of  his  expedi- 
tion, could  not  brook  any  further  delay,  and  leaving 
abruptly  his  traveling  coini)anions,  continued  to  move 
forward  with  a  small  retinue  of  followers,  but  with  a 
considerable  numbej-  of  bales  of  merchandise.  The 
gallant  knight,  the  lately  appointed  captam  in  the 
French  army,  had  assumed  the  garb  and  the  occupation 
of  a  merchant,  and  thought  himself  fully  adequate  to 
the  fulfillment  of  the  duties  incumbent  on  such  a  com- 
bination of  characters. 

When  Beaulieu,  Delery,  and  Lafreni6re  arrived  at  the 
Presidio,  they  were  informed  of  the  seizure  of  the  goods 
and  merchandise  of  St.  J^enis  by  the  Spanish  authori- 
ties, and  of  his  dei)arture  for  Mexico  in  the  hope  of 
obtaining  the  restoration  of  his  property.     Dismayed 
at  such  a  piece  of  intelligence,  and  afraid  of  the  seizure 
of  their  own  goods,  they  intrusted  them  for  safe  keep- 
ing  to  some  monks,  who  did  not  scruple  to  tarn  an 
honest  penny  by  granting  their  protection  to  the  help- 
less, and  they  at  last  succeeded   in  selling  on  credit 
every  thing  they  had  on  hand  to  certain  merchants  of 
Bocca  de  Leon.     They  w(;re  i)atiently  waiting  for  pay- 
ment,  when  they  heard  the  unwelcome  news  that  St. 
Denis  had  been  imprisoned  at  Mexico.     Delery,  Beau- 
Hen,  and  Lafreniere  no  longer  thought  of  securing  the 
paymeiit  of  the  money  to  which  they  were  entitled,  but 
of  saving  their  i)ersons  from  the  tender  mercies  of  a 
Spanish  jailer.     Carrying  away  paper  recognizances  and 
bonds  which  were  never  jiaid,  they  dei)arted  with  the 
utmost  precipitation,  and  had  the  good  luck  to  arrive 
in  safety  at  Mobile  in  1 718,  after  an  absence  of  nearly 
two  yoai-s,  and  after  having  encountered  all  the  fatigues 
and  accidents  of  a  long  and  perilous  journey. 

Let  us  now  accomj)any  St.  Denis  to  Mexico.     Ho  is 


ftw:m 

hi: 


i<i        mi: 


^^1 


;  1 

1 . 

1   : 
■.  t 
^1      ■ 

i  ^1 

'    1  ! 

1 

i 

.•  .i  i 

M 

244 


ADVENTURR8  OP  ST.  DENIS  IN  MEXICO. 


one  of  thoao  nion  whom  it  is  j)leii.siint  for  the  liistorian 
to  keep  in  sij^ht.  Unfortunately  for  liim,  when  he  en- 
torod  th(^  fr&tCH  of  that  city,  he  had  no  Uniger  to  deal 
with  th(!  Duke  of  Linares,  who  had  treated  him  for- 
merly witli  such  extraordinary  kindiiesH.  The  successor 
of  the  duke  was  the  Manpiis  of  Valero,  whose  disposi- 
tions di«l  not  ])r()ve  to  Ix;  so  favorable.  Foi"  some  time, 
however,  St.  DiMiia  entertained  the  hop(!  that  he  would 
obtain  an  order  settini;  Jiside  the  stnzure  of  his  gooda. 
But  it  so  happeniul  that  he  had  traveisetl  the  province 
of  Texaa  without  j)r(^sentiug  his  respt^cts  to  the  govei'- 
nor,  Don  Martin  de  Alacorne,  and  without  endeavoring 
to  j)ropitiate  his  favor.  This  S[)anish  functionary, 
who  wius  very  pmictilious  in  all  matters  of  eti(juette, 
construed  St.  Denis' haste,  forgetfulness,  or  want  of  cer- 
emony into  a  slight  on  his  dignity  and  authority ;  and 
drawing  tlie  inference  that  a  man  s  >  deiicient  in  mau- 
nei's  and  knightly  courtesy  could  not  l)e  but  some  low- 
born desperado,  he  wrote  to  his  government  that  St. 
Denis  was  a  sus])i(Mous  cliaracter,  fraughi,  witli  hostile 
And  dangerous  designs.  This  waa  enough  to  awaken 
the  jeaU>ns  susceptibilities  of  tho  viceroy,  when  the 
settled  policy  of  Sj)ain,  iw  it  is  well  known,  wa.s  so 
Avei*se  to  the  introduction  of  strangers  into  her  colonies. 
Don  Martin's  denunciation  wjvs  believed,  and  St.  Denis 
was  thrown  into  prist)n.  There  he  })ined  for  a  whole 
month,  but  his  friends  and  his  wife's  relations  were 
active  on  his  behalf,  and  not  only  wtvs  he  released,  but 
he  obtained  possession  of  his  goods,  which  were  sold 
very  advantivgeously.  They  were  not  only  sold,  but 
paid  for.  This  was  sunshine  at  last,  but  a  cloud  inter- 
vened in  the  shape  of  a  roguish  agent  who  received  the 
money,  and  who,  thinking  it  convenient  to  keep  for  his 
own  uses  what  belonged  to  another,  absconded  to  uu» 
known  parts. 


li  (l 


ESCAPE  OF  ST.  DENIS  FROM  MEXICO. 


245 


St.  Denis  was  a  gentleman  hy  birth,  a  soldier  by 
profession,  and  a  mercliant  by  accident,  otherwise  he 
would  have  been  more  used  to  such  untoward  events, 
and  he  would  have  been  less  indignant  at  the  gentle, 
easy,  soft  and  ordinary  pi-ocess  of  fattening  one's  pui-se 
at  the  (fxpense  of  another's.     But,  exasperated  by  the 
series  of  mishaps  which  had  befallen  him,  he  gave  loud 
vent  to  his  complaints  of  Spanish  treachery  and  tyranny, 
and  liad  the  imprudence  to  boast  of  the  desolation  he 
could  ])ring  on  the  frontier  provinces  of  Mexico,  if  he 
chose  to  use  the  influc^nce  he  had  acquired  on  the  In- 
dians  of  those  regions.     The  threats  of  St.  Denis  were 
not  disregarded,  and  the  government  ordered  him  to 
be  arrested.     Fortunately  he  was  advised  in  time  of 
what  was  coming,  and  the  numerous  relatives  of  his 
wife  remaining  true  to  him,  he  was  supplied  with  the 
means  of  escape.     His  flight  from  Mexico  to  the  Pre- 
fiidio  del  Norte,  with  his  infinite  disguises,  his  countless 
adventures,  his  romantic  concealments,  his  turnings  and 
windings  from  his  pursuers,  through  the  endless  length 
of  so  many  hundred  miles  of  a  wild  and  almost  imper- 
vious  country,  would  furnish  a  prolific  subject  to  any 
driver  of  the  quill  who  might  be  in  quest  of  materials. 
Suflicc  it  for  me  to  say,  that  leaving  the  Presidio  with 
his  wife,  he  reached  Mobile  in  safety,  and  rendered  to 
the  company  his  accounts  of   the   second  expedition 
which  he  had  undertaken  under  Crozat. 

The  only  benefit  which  France  derived  from  these 
daring  attempts  consisted  in  the  acquisition  of  correct 
information  concerning  the  Spanish  settlements  which 
existed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Louisiana.  No  com- 
monplace man  was  he  who,  in  those  days,  could  journey 
twice  from  Mobile  to  Mexico,  and  come  back  through 
the  same  avenue  of  besetting  dangei-s  of  every  descrip- 
tion*    He  must  have  been  gifted  with  a  singular  com- 


■'■i  ijr. 


•V 


II 


246 


PLANS  OF  THE  COMPANY  FOR  THE 


bination  of  physical,  moral,  and  intellectual  energies. 
A  strong  mind  endowed  with  persevering  volition, 
sinews  that  could  command  any  fatigue,  a  ccmstitution 
unconquerable  by  disease,  a  heart  ignorant  of  fear, — • 
such  were  the  elements  of  the  organization  of  St.  Denis, 
who  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  characters  of  the 
early  history  of  Louisiana.  On  his  last  return  from 
Mexico,  he  remained  'iver  after  in  Louisiana,  where  he 
became  the  founder  of  one  of  our  most  resp<ictable 
families. 

Crozat  had  made  vain  efforts  to  trade  with  the  Mex- 
ican provinces,  and  to  discover  gold  and  silver  mines. 
The  company  wisely  abstained,  for  the  moment,  from 
connnitting  the  same  error,  and  turned  its  attention  to 
matters  Avliich  promised  l)etter  results.  It  was  evident 
that  the  monopoly  of  commerce  which  had  l)een  granted 
to  the  company,  Avith  a  i)rovincc  of  an  immense  extent, 
it  is  true,  but  which  had  hardly  any  other  inhabitants 
than  Indian  tribes,  could  not,  after  all,  be  very  profit- 
able ;  because  it  is  impossible  that  commerce,  whose 
very  bi-eath  of  life  recpiires  the  two  opposite  and  equi- 
ponderant lungs  of  exportation  and  importation,  should 
exist  on  a  large  scale,  Avhere  the  wants  of  civilization 
are  not  felt.  Agriculture,  therefore,  was  one  of  the 
first  things  to  be  encouraged  in  the  colony;  and  the 
company  thought  tliat  the  most  effectual  mode  of  pro- 
ducing such  a  result,  was  to  make  large  concessions  of 
lands  to  some  of  the  most  wealthy  and  most  j^owerful 


personages   of  the   kingdom. 


Thus, 


a   concession 


of 


twelve  s(piare  miles  on  Arkansas  Ili\'er,  was  granted  to 
Law,  who,  jis  we  have  seen,  was  at  that  time  growing 
daily  upon  the  i'avov  of  the  Regent.  There  were  other 
grants  on  Yazoo  Iliver  to  a  private  company,  composed 
of  Le  Blanc,  Secretary  of  State,  the  Count  de  Belleville, 
the  Marquis  d'Auleck,  and  of  Le  Blond,  who,  at  a  later 


ENCOURAGEMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 


247 


period,  came  to  Louisiana  as  commander-in-cliief  of  tlie 
engineers  of  the  province.  Near  Natchez,  the  company 
made  concessions  to  Hubert,  the  king's  commissary,  or 
cmiimisfiaire  ordonnateiu)\  and  to  a  company  of  mer- 
chants of  St.  Malo ;  at  Natchitoches  on  Red  River,  to 
Bernard  de  La  Ilarpe;  at  Tunicas,  to  St.  Reine ;  at 
Pointe  Coupee,  to  de  Meuse.  The  spot  where  the 
town  of  Baton  Rouge  is  now  situated,  was  conceded  to 
Diron  d'Artaguette ;  that  part  of  the  right  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  which  is  opposite  Bayou  Manchac,  to  Paria 
Duvernay;  the  Tchoupitoulas  lands  to  de  Muys;  the 
Oumiis,  to  the  Marquis  d'Ancenis:  the  Cannes  Bru- 
lees,  or  Burnt  Canes,  to  the  Marquis  d'Artagnac ;  the 
oppo.sitc  bank  of  the  river  to  de  Guiche,  de  La  Iloussaye 
and  de  La  Iloupe ;  the  bay  of  St.  Louis,  to  Mme.  de  Me- 
zieres,  and  Bjiseagoulas  Bay  to  Mme.  de  Chaumont. 

It  had  been  stipulated  between  the  company  and 
Law,  that  he  should  settle  a  colony  of  fifteen  hundred 
Germans  on  the  lands  which  had  been  granted  to  him, 
and  that  he  should  keep  up,  at  his  own  expense,  a  body 
of  infantry  and  cavalry  suflicient  to  protect  that  infant 
colony  against  the  Indians.  The  condition  of  all  the 
other  grants  of  lands  wtis  also  that  the  grantees  should, 
within  a  fixed  time,  colonize  those  lands  with  a  certain 
number  of  emigrants,  iu  proportion  to  the  extent  of  the 
grants.  This  ex])eriment  proved  al)ortive  in  most  cases : 
many  of  the  landholtlers  whom  I  have  named,  occupied 
such  a  high  position  in  France,  that  they  had  no  induce- 
ment to  emigrate,  and  they  contented  themselves  with 
sending  some  scores  of  destitute  peasants  to  improve 
their  new  estates  in  America.  The  climate  soon  swept 
most  of  them  into  early  graves,  and  the  rest,  not  being 
placed  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  their  patrons, 
who  had  remained  abroad,  and  whose  agents  generally 
turned  out  to  be  unfaithful,  careless  or  incapaljle,  be- 


W,\        I 


"i 


■J 

1 

il 

..  fl 

ii 

-M  m- 


248 


CLOSE  OP  THE  YEAR  1718. 


I    ^ 


came  discouraged,  and  abandoned  themselves  to  habits 
of  idleness  and  dissipation. 

As  it  was  impossible,  however,  to  promote  agriculture 
without  hands  to  cultivate  the  soil,  the  company  was 
driven  into  the  necessity  of  turning  its  attention  to  the 
slave-trade,  and  to  rely  chiefly  upon  its  supplies  to  do 
all  the  field-work  in  Louisiana.     It  was  represented  that 
slave  labor  would  be  cheaper  than  free  labor,  and  would 
be  within  the  command  of  the  company  on  easier  terms. 
The  profits  of  the  trade  itself  were  a  matter  of  no  trifling 
consideration.     Vessels  were,  therefore,  sent  to  Africa, 
and  from  Africa  to  Louisiana,  with  their  black  cargoes' 
According  to  rules  established  by  the  company,  slaves 
were  to  be  sold  to  the  old  inhabitants  (so  were  called 
those  who  had  been  two  years  in  the  colony),  on  these 
terms:  one  half  cash,  and  the  balance  on  one  year's 
credit.     The  imv  inhabitants  (that  is,  those  who  had 
been  less  than  two  years  in  the  colony)  had  one  and 
two  yeai-s'  credit  granted  to  them. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1718,  colonists,  convicts  and 
troops,  m  all  eight  hundred  souls,  arrived  in  three  ves- 
sels.     By  the  order  of  the  company,  the  colonists  were 
distributed  m  the  following  manner:  148  at  Natchi- 
toches,  under  the  command  of  De  Laire,  Bernard  de  La 
Harpe  and  Brossard ;  on  the  Yazoo  lands.  Mess.  Scouviou 
de  la  Houssaye  and  their  followers,  numbering  82.    The 
balance,  amounting  to  68,  were  settled  at  New  Orleans. 
From  a  communication  addressed  to  the  company  by 
Bienville,  on  the  25th  of  September,  it  is  to  be  inferred 
that  he  was  not  very  well  satisfied  with  the  qualifica- 
tionsofall  the  colonists  who  had  been  transported  to 
Louisiana.     "There  are  among  them,"  says  he,  "very 
few  carpenters   and   plowmen.     The    consequence    is 
that  mechanics  and  journeymen  exact  wagei  often  and 
fifteen  livres  a  day.     This  is  what  retards  our  improve- 


PENSACOLA  TAKEN  BY  THE  FRENCH. 


249 


ments,  and  is  a  source  of  enormous  expensed  to  tlio 
company." 

Thus  closed  the  year  1718,  without  any  thing  else 
worth  recording.  In  the  month  of  April,  1Y19,  two 
Bhips  of  the  company  arrived  from  France,  and  brought 
the  exciting  news  that  war  had  broke  out  between 
France  and  Spain.  At  the  same  time,  Bienville  re- 
ceived  from  the  company  a  dispatch,  by  which  he  was 
advised  to  avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  which  that 
war  offered,  to  take  possession  of  Pensacola. 

Bienville  acted  on  this  occasion  with  commendable 
rapidity.     He  had  received  the  authorization,  on  tho 
20th  of  April,  to  attack  Pensaoola,  and  all  his  prepara- 
lions  were  completed  in  a  few  days.     On  the  13th  of 
May,  his  brother,  Serigny,  who  was  employed  by  the 
French  government  in  making  a  survey  of  the  coasts  of 
Louisiana,  embarked  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  sold- 
iers, on  board  the  Philippe,  the  Comte  de  Toulouse,  and 
the  Mar^chal  de  Villai-s,  commanded  by  M.  M^chin 
and  the  Chevalier  des  Grieux,  and  set  sail  from  Dau- 
phine  Island.     Bienville,  on  the  same  day,  followed  in  a 
sloop  with  eighty  men.     On  the  14th,  they  were  before 
Pensacola,  when    at  4  o'clock  in    the  afternoon,  the 
Spanish  governor  surrendered,  without  having  attempt- 
ed any  defense.     The  command  of  Pensacola  was  given 
to  Chateaugue,  a  brother  of  Bienville.     In  conformity 
with  the  capitulation,  in  which  it  waa  stipulated  that 
the  garrison  should  be  «ent  to  the  nearest  Spanish  fort, 
the  Spaniards  embarked  in  the  Comte  de  Toulouse  and 
the  Marechal  de  Vilh.  -s,  to  be  transported  to  Havana. 
Bienville,  who  had  left  Pensacola  under  the  com- 
mand of  Chateaugue,  felt  great  uneasiness,  produced  by 
his  apprehensions  of  not  being  able  to  retain  his  con- 
quest.^    What  had  been  so  easily  acquired  might  be 
6B  easily  lost.     Pensacola  was  but  slenderly  fortified ; 


"f 

,n 

in 

i  s, 

i| 

1 

b 

I 

i  ■ 

i  i 


i  '\ 


•i  ',  i 


*i:    J. 


I 

i 

i 

• 

260 


THE  SPANIARDS  RETAKE  PENSACOLA, 


the  French  who  composed  the  garrison,  were  but  feir 
iu  number,  and  not  very  select  men.    It  was  evident 
that  an  overpowering  force  miglit  be  sent  from  Havana, 
before  any  means  could  be  taken  by  the  company  to 
secure  its  new  acquisition.    The  fears  of  Bienville  were 
soon  realized,  and  Pensacola  only  remained  about  two 
months  in  the  hands  of  the  French.     When  the  two 
French  vessels,  the  Comte  de  Toulouse  and  the  Marechal 
de  Villara,  entered  the  port  of  Havana,  with  the  gar. 
rison  of  Pensacola,  the  captain-general  of  the  island  of 
Cuba,  disregarding  the  articles  of  the  capitulation,  and 
little  heeding  the  laws  of  nations,  made  himself  guilty 
of  a  breach  of  faith,  and  took  possession  of  the  Comte 
de  Toulouse  and  the  Marechal  de  Villars.     He  put  on 
board  Spanish  soldiers  and  equipages,  and  sent  them 
back  to  retake  Pensacola,  with  three  ships  of  the  line, 
nine    brigantines,   and    landing  forces  amounting  to 
eighteen  hundred  men. 

The  Sitanish  fleet  hove  in  sight  of  Pensacola  on  the 
6th  of  August,  and  the  landing  took  place  the  next 
day, — of  the  two  French  vessels  which  were  in  port, 
one  was  burned,  and  the  other  captured.  Fifty  French 
soldiers  deserted  immediately  to  join  the  S})aniards,  and 
informed  them  that  the  rest  of  their  companions  were 
ready  to  deliver  up  the  forts.  Elated  by  this  intelli- 
gence, the  Spaniards  summoned  Chateaugue  to  suf' 
render.  The  French  commander,  discovering  that  he 
was  abandoned  by  his  troops,  capitulated  on  condition 
that  he  should  come  out  of  Pensacola  with  the  honoi-s 
of  war,  and  be  transported  to  old  Spain  with  the 
French  garrison.  Immediately  after  the  surrender  of 
Pensacola,  the  commander  of  the  Spanish  fleet  put  a 
heavy  force  on  board  of  three  brigautines,  and  sent 
them  to  take  possession  of  Dauphiue  Island,  and  of  the 
French  vessel,  the  Philippe,  which  was  anchored  theret 


ANO  BESIEGE  DAUPHINE  ISLAND. 


251 


Serigny  was  in  commanci.  of  Daupliine  Island,  and  on 
his  being  summoned  to  yield  to  the  superior  forces  that 
would  attack  him,  he  answered  in  the  negative,  and 
added  that  he  had  prepared  a  warm  reception  for  his 
visitors,  when  they  should  think  proper  to  come. 

As  soon  as  it  was  night,  two  of  the  brigantines  en- 
tered the  bay  of  Mobile,  and  stopping  half-way  between 
Mol»ile  and  Dauphine  Island,  landed  thirty-five  men  to 
plunder  and  to  burn  certain  establishments  there  exist- 
ing.   The  owner  of  the  premises  was  asleep,  and  little 
dreamed  of  the  danger  which  was  at  his  doors.    Sud- 
denly, the  invaders,  confident  of  success,  and  secure  of 
their  coveted  booty,  uttered  three  cheers,  and  rushed 
forward,  intent  on  their  meditated  work  of  destruction. 
But  what  was  their  dismay,  when  they  were  answered 
with  the   unexpected   and   terrific  war-whoop  of   In- 
dians !     Before  they  could  recover  from  their  surprise, 
they  were  assailed  by  sixty  Indians  and  some  French- 
men, who,  by  the  order  of  Bienville,  were  marching  to 
the  relief  of  Serigny,    the   commander  of  Dauphine 
Island.     They  had  arrived  at  the  midway  house,  be- 
tween Mobile  and  Dauphine  Island,  just  in  time  to  save 
it  from   ruin.     Five   of  the   enemy  were  killed  and 
scalped  by  the  Indians  ;  six  were  drowned  in  attempt- 
ing to  gain  their  boats,  and  eighteen  were  made  prison- 
ers:  only  six  escaped  to  carry  away  the  melancholy 
tale  of  that  night's  disaster.     Several  of  the  French  de- 
serters were  among  the  prisoners,  and  but  short  shrift 
was  allowed  them.     As  there  was  no  hangman  at  hand, 
they  were  shot. 

Two  days  after  this  event,  the  whole  Spanish  fleet 
appeared  before  Dauphine  Island,  which  was  defended 
only  by  one  hundred  and  sixty  Frenchmen  and  two 
hundred  Indians,  under  the  command  of  Serigny.  Of 
the  160  Frenchmen,  80  were  soldiers,  and  no  more  tQ 


1;! 


ri 


r* 


,i'.  ( 


I 


i-.: 


iili 


252         THE  SIEGE  OP  DAUPHINE  ISLAND  ABANDONED. 

be  relied  on  than  those  who  had  deserted  from  Pensar 
cola.  Serigny  had  ordered  the  French  ship,  the 
Philippe,  to  anchor  within  pistol-shot  of  the  shore,  and 
her  fire  was  supported  by  a  powerful  barbet  battery 
constructed  on  the  island.  These  means  of  defense 
appeared  so  formidable,  that  the  Spaniards  dared  not 
come  to  a  close  attack,  but  keeping  out  of  the  reach  of 
the  French  projectiles,  amused  themselves,  during  four- 
teen days,  with  a  vain  and  empty  cannonading.  Al- 
though they  did  not  venture  to  bear  down  direct  upon 
the  village  itself,  which  was  so  well  fortified,  they  made 
more  than  one  attempt  to  land  on  several  other  parts 
of  the  island  ;  but  they  were  met  and  foiled  at  every 
point.  In  these  several  attempts  at  landing,  their  losses 
proved  to  be  very  great.  Disheartened  by  these  re- 
peated failures,  the  Spaniards  abandoned  the  siege  of 
Dauphine  Island  on  the  26th  of  August,  and  returned 
to  Pensacola.  Considering  the  disparity  of  forces,  the 
defense  of  Dauphine  Island  by  Serigny  was  a  very  gal- 
lant deed. 

^  The  Spanish  sails  had  hardly  vanished  from  the  ho- 
rizon of  Dauphine  Island,  when  three  French  ships  of 
the  line,  under  the  command  of  the  Comte  de  Champ- 
meslin,  with  two  vessels  of  the  company,  which  they 
had  convoyed  across  the  Atlantic,  loomed  in  sight  on 
the  Ist  of  September.  This  apparition  put  to  flight 
two  Spanish  brigantines  which  had  been  left  to  cut  off 
communication  between  Dauphine  Island  and  Mobile. 
Bienville  and  Serigny  his  brother  went  on  board  of 
the  admiral's  ship  as  soon  as  they  could,  and  at  their 
request  a  council  of  war  was  immediately  convened,  in 
which  it  was  determined  to  attack  the  two  forts  of  Pen- 
sacola, and  the  Spanish  fleet  which  was  in  the  bay. 
On  the  14th,  half  of  the  cargoes  being  discharged,  the 
ships  having  taken  in  a  ne-^  supply  of  provisions,  water, 


11 


PENSACOLA  AGAIN  TAKEN  BY  THE  FRENCH.     253 

and  wood,  and  Bienville  having  had  time  to  gather, 
equip,  and  organize  a  small  army  of  Indians,  the  expe^ 
dition  departed  for  Pensacola.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
soldiers  had  been  embarked  on  board  of  the  ships,  and 
Bienville  went  in  boats  to  Perdido  River,  with  such 
regulars  and  volunteers  as  he  could  bring  together. 
There  he  found,  agreeably  to  his  instructions,  five 
hundred  Indians,  headed  by  M.  de  La  Longueville. 
Without  loss  of  time,  he  proceeded  to  invest  what  was 
called  the  Great  Fort,  situated  on  the  main  land,  so 
as  efiectually  to  prevent  all  ingress  or  egress.  On  the 
17th,  M.  de  Champmeslin  entered  the  bay,  and  attacked 
the  Bmcdl  Fort,  which  was  on  the  point  of  the  island 
of  St.  Rose,  and  the  four  ships  and  five  brigantines 
which  were  anchored  under  the  protection  of  the  land 
fortifications.  The  fort  and  the  fleet  surrendered  after 
a  severe  fight  which  lasted  two  hours.  The  larger  fort, 
which  was  besieged  by  Bienville,  no  longer  thought  of 
further  resistance,  and  opened  its  gates  to  the  French, 
who  made  fifteen  hundred  prisoners.  "  The  Indians," 
says  Bienville  in  his  dispatch,  "  were  frightened  at  the 
number  of  the  forces  they  had  dared  to  encounter  and 
had  contributed  to  conquer,  and  could  hardly  believe 
the  evidence  of  their  own  senses.  It  is  clear  that  they 
are  vividly  impressed  with  the  conviction  of  the  irre- 
sistible power  of  our  arms  and  of  French  valor."  The 
fact  is,  that  it  was  a  glorious  victory  which  elated  the 
whole  colony,  and  for  many  years  what  was  called  the 
Pensacola  war,  remained  a  favorite  topic  of  conversa- 
tion, and  a  subject  of  proud  recollection  which  furnished 
the  narration  of  more  than  one  tale  of  valor  and  mili- 
tary achievements. 

On  board  of  the  captured  Spanish  ships  thirty-five 
of  the  French  deserters  from  Pensacola  were  found. 
On  their  being  tried,  twelve  were  sentenced  to  be 


iflil 


1 

:i ;  '\ 

! 

i 

1 

!  ', 

K 

I       .1      ii 

I    I 


\^ 


(i  ;         i|h:f 


'^l 


2-')4       BIENVILLE'S  APPEAL  TO  THE  COUNCIL  OP  STATE. 

hung,  and  the  rest  to  work  for  life  on  the  galleys  of 
France. 

Bienville  availed  himself  of  this  opportunity  to  com- 
phiin,  with  great  force  and  truth,  of  the  materials  which 
were  put  at  his  disposal  to  colonize  Louisiana.     "The 
Council  of  State,"  says  he,  "  will  permit  me  to  represent 
that  it  is  exceedingly  i)ainful  for  an  officer,  wlio  is  intrust- 
ed  with  the  destinies  of  a  colony,  to  have  nothing  better 
to  defend  her  tlian  a  band  of  deserters,  of  smugglers,  and 
of  rogues,  who  are  ever  ready,  not  only  to  a])andon  their 
flag,  but  to  turn  tlieir  arms  against  their  country.     Are 
not  most  of  the  people  I  receive  Iiere  sent  by  force  ? 
What  attachment  can  they  conceive  for  a  colony  which 
they  look  upon  in  th(^  liglit  of  a  prison,  and  wliich  they 
can  not  leave  at  will  ?     Can  it  be  imagined  that  they 
y  ill  not  use  every  effort  to  escape  from  a  position  which 
18  odious  to  them?     And  is  it  not  known  that  they 
can  do  so  with  great  facility  in  a  country  so  o])en  as 
this,  and  when  they  can  so  readily  find  refuge  with  the 
Spaniards  or  the  English  ?     It  seems  to  me  absolutely 
necessary,  if  it  be  wished  to  preserve  this  colony  to  the 
king,  to  send  to  it  none  but  those  who  are  willing,  and 
to  make  life  here  more  attractive  than  it  is  for  thrpres- 
ent.     In  the  first  j^lace,  in  order  to  accomplish  this  ob- 
ject, I  would  recommend  to  transport  hei-e  a  sufficient 
nunil)er  of  cattle  to  su})ply  the  colony  with  fresh  meat, 
and  then  to  transmit  provisions  of  every  kind  with 
more  regularity  and  in  greater  (piantity  than  for  the 
ppst.     If  not,  the  people  here  will  continue  to  be  ex- 
ceedingly miserable.     It  must  also  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration that  the  population  and  the  military  forces 
are  so  scattered,  that  in  a  case  of  sudden  emergency,  I 
have  to  rely,  as  means  of  defense,  only  on  the  Indian 
nations.     For  the  present,  I  am  even  deprived  of  this 
resource  on  account  of  the  want  of  provisions  and  mer- 


STORY  OF  THE  CHEVALIER  DES  GRIEUX.  255 

chandise  to  secure  their  support.  But,  "hacked  by  them, 
we  could  resist  all  the  efll^rts  of  the  Spaniards,  although 
they  could  act  powerfully  against  us,  on  account  of  the 
proximity  of  Havana  and  Vera  Cruz.  It  is  to  be 
feared,  however,  that  by  cruising  with  large  vessels  on 
our  coast,  they  may  cut  off  our  supplies  ifrom  France. 
We  know  this  to  be  their  intention,  from  what  we  have 
learned  from  the  French  deserters  we  have  retaken. 
In  that  case,  it  would  be  impossible  to  preserve  the 
colony." 

Thus  ended  the  second  expedition  against  Pensacola. 
De  Lisle,  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  +he  ships  of  the  line, 
was  put  by  the  French  admiral  in  command  of  the 
place,  somewhat  to  the  mortification  of  Bienville,  who 
thought  that  th(>.  disi)osal  of  this  appointment  ought  to  , 
have  })een  left  to  him  as  governor  of  the  colony. 

I  have  spoken  of  the^Chevalier  de  Grieux'or  des 
Grieux,  who  commanded  the  Mai-echal  de  Villars  in  the 
first  expedition  against  Pensacola.  Perhaps  he  was 
connected  by  blood  as  well  as  by  name  with  the  hero 
of  a  beautiful  novel  well  known  in  the  literary  world, 
under  the  title  of  Manon  Lescaut,  and  wTitten  by  an 
abbe  of  the  name  of  Prevost.  IManon  Lescaut  was  one 
of  those  frail  creatures  who,  in  such  capitals  as  Paris 
and  London,  run  a  sinful  career  of  alternate  splendor 
and  misery.  She  had  become  celebrated  by  tlie  duels 
and  ruinous  extravagances  of  those  who  had  worshiped 
at  her  shrine,  and  who,  to  use  the  expression  of  De- 
mosthenes, had  purchased  repentance  too  dear. 


■  Mi 


i .  ' ; 


■t:|   i: 


^'11 


"  Ah,  vice  !  how  soft  aru  lliy  voluptuous  ways  I 
While  boyisli  blood  is  mantling,  who  can  'scape 
The  fascination  of  tliy  ni;ii,nc  ^aze  ? 
A  cJierub  hydra  round  us  dont  thou  gape, 
And  mold  to  every  taste  thy  dear  delusive  shape." 


BvEOlf. 


Ii    !| 


(I-  If  1.1 


256 


STORY  OP  THE  CHEVALIER  DES  QRIEUX 


^' 


Spite,  jealousy,  revenge,  or  the  desire  of  protecting 
youthful  inexperience  against  Manon's  fascinations,  des- 
ignated her  to  the  arbitrary  hand  of  power,  and  she 
was  seized  by  those  agents  of  the  government  who 
were  recruiting  for  the  colonization  of  Louisiana.    Torn 
from  the  lascivious  chambers  of  luxury,  she  was  thrown 
into  a  common  cart  with  a  promiscuous  company  of 
female  wretches,  and  hurried  to  a  seaport.     All  the 
way  from  Paris  to  Havre,  a  young  man  of  distinguished 
birth,  but  forgetful  of  what  was  due  to  himself,  to  his 
family,  and  to  society,  followed  on  foot  the  vehicle 
which  contained  the  being  whom  he  loved  with  that 
intensity  of  feeling  which  produces  madness.     To  have 
stolen  interviews  with  his  mistress,  he  had  given  all  the 
money  and  all  the  trinkets  he  had  in  his  possession  to 
the  ruthless  soldiery  who  composed  her  escort.     When 
he  had  nothing  left  him  with  which  he  could  hope  to 
soften  the  obduracy  of  the  guards,  he  attempted  to 
touch  them  by  making  passionate  appeals  to  what  latent 
sensibility  might  remain  in  their  breast.     He  bore  pa- 
tiently with  their  cruel  rebukes  and  coarse  gibes  ;  his 
meek  despair  might  have  disarmed  hatred  itself     Pale 
and  haggard,  this  effeminate-looking  child  of  wealth  and 
aristocracy  tottered  along  on  the  muddy  roads,  keeping 
pace   with   the  closely-muffled    vehicle  which  carried 
away  the  object  of  his  affection.     The  frenzy  of  love 
sustained  him  against  fetigues,  hardships,  and  contume- 
lies to  which  he  was  unused.     The  soul  had  absorbed 
the  body  and  magnetized  it  into  a  state  of  feverish  som- 
nambulism.    Physical  wants  became  unknown  to  him, 
or  were  not  attended  to.     In  that  journey,  how  he  ap- 
peased hunger  and  thirst,  and  tasted  of  the  sweets  of 
sleep,  none  saw  or  knew.     He  seemed  to  be  unconscious 
of  the  cold  rains  of  winter  which  poured  down  upon 
his  head,  cr  of  the  snow  which  stiffened  his  garments. 


J  ti 


AND  MANON  LESCAUT. 


257 


All  the  pitiless  elements  of  an  inclement  atmosphere 
pelted  him  as  if  in  derision,  and  he  heeded  them  not  I 

At  last,  he  arrived  at  Havre,  and  on  his  offering  to 
embark  as  a  colonist,  his  proposition  was  accepted.     On 
board  of  a  ship,  on  the  broad  bosom  of  the  ocean,  he 
found  himself  reunited   to   his   mistress.     Alas!   that 
guilty  love  should  kno  vv  such  transports !     What  cared 
des  Grieux  for  the  roaring  of  the  winds,  for  the  gath- 
ering fury  of  the  waves,  and  for  the  black  wrath  of  the 
coming  storm !     What  cared  he  for  the  lurid  obscurity 
of  the  tempestuous  night !     Sunshine,  the  sunshine  of 
paradise,  was  in  his  soul.    The  deep  anguish  of  a  mother, 
the  malediction  of  a  father,  the  blasted  hopes  of  a  noble 
and  useful  career,— all  was  forgotten  in  the  bliss  of  the 
hour.     That  bliss,  whatever  it  was,  whether  perfect  in 
its  ecstasy,  or  whether  disturbed  by  the  stings  of  con- 
science, whether  "  it  brought  with  it  airs  from  lieaveii, 
or  llastsfrom.  hell,''  was  not  of  long  duration.     Soon 
after  her  arrival  at  New  Orleans,  Mauon  Lescaut  died 
a  repentant  Magdalen,  and  with  her  dying  breath  rec- 
ommended  to  des  Grieux  to  return  to  the  path  of  vi; 
tue  from  which  she  had  induced  him  to  stray  but  too 
long.  ^  With  his  cwn  hands,  des  Grieux  dug  the  grave 
to  which  he  consigned  the  body  of  Manon,  and  then, 
with  a  lock  of  her  hair  forever  to  be  worn  on  his  breast, 
and  with  her  memory  indelibly  impressed  on  his  soul, 
he  departed  for  France, 

"  In  helpless— hopeless— brokenness  of  heart." 

But  let  us  turn  from  the  field  of  sentiment  to  a  diyer 
one,  where  the  facts  to  be  collected  by  the  historian, 
although  no  doubt  more  deserving  of  record,  are  of  a 
less  captivating  nature :  and  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  the 
details  of  the  administration  of  affaii-s  in  Louisiana. 

The  directors  having  called  the  attention  of  the  gov- 

14 


'  •■■  ■     \     ■  i 

■         ' 

■  |.'!' 

: » 


ifi 


'Ml 


I]  J* 


35S 


CHANGES  MADE  IN  THE 


ernment  to  the  changes  which  new  circumstances  re- 
quired in  the  organization  of  the  colony,  the  Superior 
Council  of  the  province  was  modified  by  a  royal  edict 
promulgated  in  the  month  of  September,  1719.  It  was 
decreed  that  the  new  council  should  be  composed  ex 
officio  of  such  directors  of  the  company  as  might  happen 
to  be  in  the  colony,  of  the  governor,  the  two  "  Lieutenr 
ants  de  lioi^''  or  lieutenant-governors,  the  king's  attor- 
ney-general, and  four  other  persons.  In  all  civil  suits, 
the  quorum  was  fixed  at  three,  and  at  five  in  criminal 
affairs.  In  case  no  quorum  could  be  formed,  on  account 
of  absence  or  disease,  the  meml  )ers  present  could  com- 
plete the  number  rec^nired,  out  of  the  ranks  of  the  most 
res})ectable  persons  of  the  colony.  In  judicial  mattei*s, 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  council  was  to  be  only  an  appel- 
late one,  and  it  was  bound  to  meet  at  least  once  in  every 
month.  Formerly,  the  Superior  Council  had  been  the 
only  tribunal  in  the  countiy,  and  had  l^een  clothed  with 
original  jurisdiction:  but  population  having  increased 
considerably,  it  was  found  necessary  to  esta1>lish  inferior 
courts,  and  to  ap])oint  a.s  judges  the  directors  of  the 
company,  or  their  agents  in  the  several  localities  where 
they  might  reside.  Every  one  of  them,  Avitli  t\\'o  of  the 
chief  men  of  the  vicinage,  might  take  cognizance  of  any 
•civil  aflfair,  and  also  of  criminal  matters,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  four  inhal)itants  having  tlie  qualifications  re- 
•quired  to  sit  i.  civil  affairs.  From  their  judgment 
there  lay  an  appeal  to  the  Superior  Council.  It  is  to 
be  remarked  that,  by  a  special  and  a  very  lil)eral  dis- 
position of  the  royid  edict,  justice  was  to  ])e  adminis- 
tered Avithout  costs  to  the  parties. 

The  first  Superior  Council,  as  formed  in  conformity 
with  this  edict,  was  composed  of  Bienville,  as  governor, 
of  Boisbriant  and  Chateaugue,  as  lieutenant-governors, 
or  lieutenants  de  roi,  of  Hubert,  the  king's  comTuissai-y, 


Hf 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  JUDICIARY. 


259 


or  commissaire  o)'donnatew\  who  was  appointed  .9enior 
member  of  the  council,  and  as  such  v/ith  priority  of 
rank  over  his  puisne  colleagues:  the  other  membei-s 
were  L'Archambault,  Villardo  and  Legas,  agents  of  the 
company,  and  the  king's  attorney-general,  Cartier  de 
Baune.     Couture  was  appointed  clerk  to  the  council. 

Although  the  governor  occupied  the  seat  of  honor  at 
the  council  board,  yet  the  senior  councilor  was  the 
actual  president  of  that  body.  By  collecting  the  votes, 
he  ascertained  the  sense  of  the  tribunal,  and  he  pro^ 
nounced  its  judgments.  In  all  preliminary  proceedmgs, 
such  as  the  affixing  of  seals,  inventories,  and  other  acts 
of  the  like  nature,  he  discharged  the  duties  of  a  judge 
of  the  first  instance. 

It  was  the  anxious  wish  of  Bienville  to  transfer  the 
seat  of  government  to  New  Orleans,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Mississippi.    But  he  met  with  great  opposition  from 
his  associates  in  power.     When  the  matter  was  under 
discussion,  it  hapj^ened  that  there  was  an  overflow  of 
the  river,  which  laid  the  infont  city  of  New  Orleans 
under  water.  This  circumstance  ga  e  additional  strength 
to  the  opposition.     It  was  argued  that  the  company- 
could  not,  for  the  present,  command  the  means  of  erect- 
ing the  necessary  embankments  to  prevent  the  annual 
inundations  with  which  that  settlement  would  be  threat- 
ened.    Hubert,  the  king's  commissary,  pleaded  strongly 
in  ftivor  of  Natchez,  Imt  as  he  owned  large  tracts  of 
land  in  that  locality,  his  arguments  were  little  heeded, 
because  it  was  supposed  that  they  were  prompted  by 
self-interest.     L'Archambault,  Villardo  and  Legas,  who 
were  agents  of  the  company,  thought  that  the  commer- 
cial views  of  those  they  represented  would  be  better 
promoted  ])y  keeping  the  seat  of  government  on  the 
sea^jhore.     Their  opinion  prevailed,  and  according  to 
their  wishes,  a  detachment  of  soldiers  and  of  mechanics 


Hf  -  ii, 


m 


sih 


!"1 


I 


I  ^T  f'l; 


li'  P' 


ra  iih' 


260  3EAT  OF  GOVERNMENT  FIXED  AT  NEW  BILOXI. 

was  sent  to  the  east  side  of  the  Bay  of  Biloxi,  wliere 
houses  and  barracks  were  ordered  to  be  constructed. 
That  place  was  called  Mi^v  Biloxi,  in  contradistinction 
to  the  first  settlement  which  was  made  in  that  bay,  and 
which  was  ever  after  known  as  Old  Biloxi. 

^  The  time  had  come  at  last  when  the  colony  was  be- 
ginning to  assume  the  shai)e  of  definite  existence.     It 
was  still  very  weak,  it  is  true,   but  it  gave  stronger 
signs  of  vitality  than  it  had  done  so  far.     The  extreme 
fertility  of   the   soil   had    invited   the   plow  and  the 
spade,  and  had  been  found  admiraljly  ada])ted  to  the 
cultivation  of  rice,  indigo,  tobacco,  and  cotton.     It  was 
almost  impossible,  however,  to  induce  Europeans  to  at- 
tend to  the  labors  of  the  field,  on  account  of  the  heat  of 
the  climate,  and  of  the  diseases  which  were  produced  by 
exposure.      The    whole   agricultural   pursuits   of   the 
country  were  therefore  carried  on,  at  that  time,  by  one 
thousand  blacks,  whom  the  company  had  caused  to  be 
transported  from  Africa  to  Louisiana.     It  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  agriculture  and  commerce  did  not  solely 
engross   the  attention  of  the  directors.     But  the  ex- 
perience which  had  been  acquired  during  the  twenty 
preceding  years  since  the  foundation  of  the  colony,  and 
which  had  acted  as  a  check  on  the  wild  hopes  of  some 
of  the  directors,  had  not  brought  to  the  minds  of  all 
the  conviction  that  it  was  wiser  to  abandon  altogether 
the  costly  and  time-losing  researches  which  had"  been 
made  for  mines  of  precious  metals.     Hence  the  renewal 
of  similar  attempts,  which  proved  equally  abortive. 
_    On  the  2Cth  of  November,  a  royal  edict  wiis  issued 
m  conformity  with  the  charter  granting  to  the  company 
the  privilege  of  exclusive    commerce    with  Louisiana. 
Ihat  edict  declared  to  the  Avorld  that  any  other  vessels 
than  those  of  the  company  would,  on  their  resorting  to 
the  colony  for  the  purposes  of  trade,  incur  forfeiture 


EDICT  IN  RELATION  TO  COMMERCE  OF  THE  COLONY.        261 

and  confiscation.     Such  were  the  events  of  1710,  among 

which  the  most  considerable  was  the  conquest 'of  Pen- 
sacola. 

The  opening  of  the  year  IVi'O  was  signalized  by  a 
proclamation  of  a  remarkable  nature,  issued  throughout 
the  colony  in  the  name  of  the  company.     That  i.rocla- 
mation  informed  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  that  they 
might  obtain  from  the  stores  of  the  company  at  Mobile 
Dauphine  Island,  and  Pensacola,  all  the  merchandised 
and  provi>,ons  necessary  to  their  wants.     In  case  the 
colonists  s.ould  make  itaconditionoftheirpurcha.se, 
that  those  provisions  and  merchandises  should  be  de^ 
hvered  at  New  Orleans,  they  were  to  pay  in  addition  a 
premium  of  five  per  cent.  ;-ten  per  cent,  if  to  be  de- 
hvered  at  Natchez  ;-thirteen  per  cent,  at  the  Yazoo  •- 
hfty  per  cent  at  the  Missouri  and  Illinois  settlements 
It  was  made  obligatory  upon  the  colonists  to  send  to 
^e^'  Or  eans,  to  Biloxi,  to  Ship  Island,  and  to  Mobile, 
the  produce  of  their  labor,  which  the  company  eni^ao-ed 
to  purchase  at  the  following  prices:  silk,  accordhig'to 
Its  quality,  from  7i   livres  to  10  livres;  tobacco,  first 
quality,  at    2.5   livres    the   hundred  pounds;    rice    -0 
ivres;  superfine  wheat  flour,  U  livres;  rye,  10  livre"^- 
barley  and  oats,  90  cents;  deerskins,  from  15  to  ^^0 
cents  per  skin ;  if  dressed  and  without  the  head  a^d 
tail,  30  cents ;  hides,  8  cents  the  pound 

It  IS  evident  that  the  colony  could  not  prosper  un- 
der  he  system  adopted  by  its  rulers.  What  induce- 
ments  could  any  set  of  men  have  to  emigrate  to  a  coun- 
try,  where  they  had  not  only  to  encounter  the  dano-ers 
0  a  sickly  climate  and  of  savage  warfare,  but  where 
they  were  sure  to  associate  with  the  dregs  of  the  popu- 
lation ot  the  mother  country,  and  to  be  kept  in  a  state 
ot  the  most  oppressive  servitude  ?  They  could  ,u.r- 
chase  nothing  except  from  the  company,  at  the  prices 


ili 


iiii 


i^: 


kit 


: :  'b  i'ii 

i 

262 


OPPRESSIVE  CONSEQUENCES  OF  THE  EDICT. 


M« 


h 


i 


fixed  hy  it:  they  could  sell  to  none  except  to  the 
company,  and  at  the  prices  which  suited  its  conveni- 
ence :  and  they  could  not  go  out  of  the  colony  with 
out  its  permission.  Was  it  not  servitude — a  disguised 
servitude,  not  in  name  but  in  fact — and  much  worse 
than  the  open  and  barefaced  servitude  of  the  blacks  ? 
Where  was  the  difference  between  the  white  slaves 
trans]->orted  from  Europe,  and  the  black  ones  dragged 
from  Africa  by  the  emissaries  of  the  company  ?  If  the 
blacks  worked  only  for  the  Ijenefit  of  their  white  mas- 
ters,  both  blacks  and  whites  lal)ored  only  for  the  usea 
and  purposes  of  the  almighty  company. 

Common  sense  and  experience  pointed  to  a  diflferent 
course  of  action.  When  in  the  never-ceasing  wars  of 
Europe,  a  city  happened  to  be  depopulated  and  razed 
to  the  gi-ound,  Avhat  was  the  policy  often  pursued  by 
the  prince  Avithin  whose  territory  it  was  situated  ?  It 
was  one  which  never  failed  to  be  successful.  The  sov- 
ereign w\)uld  solemnly  declare  that  all  those  Avho 
should  come  to  rel)uild  the  ruined  city  should,  for  a 
consideral)le  number  of  years,  be  exempted  from  taxes, 
from  paying  war  contributions  in  money  and  in  men, 
and  should  enjoy  the  benefit  of  self-government,  to- 
gether with  other  franchises,  immunities  and  tempting 
liberties  of  every  kind.  There  Avas  such  vitality  in 
this  system,  that  the  destroyed  city  Avould  rise  in  a 
short  time  from  its  ashes  with  more  splendor  than  it 
had  ever  possessed  Then,  it  is  true,  would  the  royal 
eagle,  tired  of  his  long  abstinence,  flap  his  wings  in 
triumph,  and  tlie  human  cattle  upon  whose  flesh  he 
claimed  the  right  to  feed,  Avould  perceive  too  late  that 
the^'  had  been  alloAved  to  grow  fat  for  other  pur])oses 
than  their  own  gratification.  Nevertheless,  the  correct- 
ness of  the  policy  Avas  not  the  less  demonstrated,  and 
if  applied  to  Louisiana  Avould  have  produced  similar  re- 


LA  HARPE  SENT  TO  FORM  A  SETTLEMENT  IN  TEXAS.    263 

suits.  All  that  she  wanted  was  air  for  her  expanding 
young  lungs— franchises  and  immunities  of  every  sort 
instead  of  the  shackles  of  monopoly  and  of  the  fetters 
of  absolute  government — freedom  of  consciencf! — of 
thought— of  action— every  liberty  of  which  man  is  sus- 
ceptible in  a  state  of  civilization.  There  would  have 
been  a  rush  to  Louisiana  from  every  part  of  the  world, 
and  the  population  would  have  increased  accordingly. 
This  would  have  been  to  the  interest  of  the  (colony, ''un- 
doubtedly, but  it  is  not  so  clear  that  it  would  have 
served  the  selfish  and  narrow-minded  views  of  the  com- 
pany. Unfortunately,  the  colony,  instead  of  being  fos- 
tei-ed  by  such  liljeral  policy,  was  kept  in  leading-strings 
60  tight,  that  she  gasped  for  breath,  and  was  restrained 
fi-om  developing  her  energies.  The  great  mistake  was, 
that  tlie  comjKuiy  said  to  the  colonists,  "  Work  for  me  " 
instead  of  saying,  "  Work  for  your  own  benefit." 

Peace  having  been  concluded  between  France  and 
Spain,  on  the  17th  of  February,  1720,  the  Mississippi 
Company  made  another  attempt  to  establish  commer- 
cial relations  between  Louisiana  and  the  Spanish  prov- 
inces of  Mexico,  and  even  endeavored  to  push  on  its  set- 
tlements in  that  direction.     With  this   object  in  view, 
Bernard  de  La  Harpe  was  sent  to  Texas,  and  constructed, 
in  latitude  P,^]°  25',  at  the  distance  of  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  from  Natchitoches,  a  small  fort,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Lidians,  who  hated   the   Spaniards. 
His  next  step  was  to  seutl  a  messenger  with  his  compli- 
ments to  Don  Martin  de  Alacorne,  governor  of  Texas, 
to  whoni  he  made  propositions  relative  to  the  trade 
which  might  be  carried  on  between  the  t^/o  nations. 
Bon  Martin  made  a  courteous  reply,  buu  v  c  :he  same 
time  expressed  his  astonishment  at  the  determination 
taken  by  the  French  to  settle  in  a  province  which  was 
a  part  of  the  territoiy  of  Mexico.     He,  therefore,  re- 


n.      I 


iii' 


^       ^}  : 

''( 

.  i           .• 

■ 

( 

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,  f 

f  ! 

ii' 

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i,  !. ! 


w       ■»-t' 

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I 

1 

'  .{• 

264      TLAIM  OF  FRAKOE  TO  THE  POSSESSlOIf  OP  TEXAS 

quested  La  Ilarpe  to  inform  the  governor  of  Louisiana, 
by  wliosf;  nntlioritylK.  noted,  that  if  the  Frencli  did  not 
voluntarily  retire,  he  Avould  resort  to  force  to  compel 
them  to  keep  uithin  tlieir  limits.    In  answer  to  the  as- 
tonishment  manifested  by  Don  Martin  do  Alacoi-ne,  Ber- 
nard  de  La  U.-irpe  declared  that  he  was  equally  aston- 
ished at  the  pretensions  of  tlie  Spanidi  government, 
considering  tli.t  irance  had  always  looked  upon  Texas 
as  a  part  of  Louisiana,  since  La  Salle  had  taken  posses- 
sion  of  that  country,  which  still  retained  his  mortal  re- 
mams.     He  added,  that  the  French  government  could 
not  admit  that  the  pretensions  of  vSpain  could  legiti- 
mattly  go  beyond  the  Rio  Bravo,  because  all  the  risers 
which  discharge  themselves  into  the  Mississippi,  and  all 
the  lands  which  they  water,  ought  indisputably  ta  be 
considered  as  belonging  to  France. 

It  is  woi-^^y  of  remark,  that  the  French  government 
supported  La  Ilarpe  in  the  position  lie  had'  taken,  and 
that  the  company,  with  the  express  authorization  of  the 
king,  ordered  that  possession  be  taken  of  the  Bay  of 
St.  Bernard.     This  order  was  executed  in  1722:  but 
after  a  short  trial,  the  French  were  obliged  to  o-ive  up 
the  settlement  which  they  had  established,  on  account 
of  the  implacar)le  hostility  of  the  Indians,  whom  they 
could  not  resist  successfully,  because  their  new  posset 
man  was  too  far  from  their  chief  establishments  in  Lou- 
isiana, to  admit  of  ready  relief.  Itisnotthe  less  true  tl'.it 
France  always  called  in  question  the  rights  which  Spaiu 
pretended,  with  so  much  tenacity,  to  have  to  Texas.^ 
^    Knowing  the  act  i vity,  the  energy,  and  the  otlier  q'ual- 
ifications  of  St.  Denis,  the  company  intrusted  him  with 
the  command  of  Natchitoches.     The  rishig  prosperity 
of  that  settlement  Jiad  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  Span- 
lards,  and  it  was  believed  that  they  Avere  nieditatino- 
its  destruction.  " 


COLLTSlOIfS  OP  KIIENO.U  AND  BRITISH  TIUDEU3.         265 

^  Tlie  company  seoniod  to  Imve  taken  to  licart  the  ob« 
ligation  to  stock  Louisiana  with  the  ])opuhition  of  wliich 
it  stood  so  much  in    ("cd,  and  during  the  year  17-^0, 
more  than  one  tliousai.d  European^,  and  about  tiv<!  liuu 
dred  negroes,  wei-o  trans]iorted  to  that  coh)ny.     Of  the 
('migrants,  about  three  humb-ed  were  to  be  located  at 
Natchez,  sixty  on  tlie  concessions  of  De  Guiche,  one  hun- 
divd  and  sixty  were  destined  for  i.'ie  grant  of  St.  Heine, 
at  the  Tunicas,  two  huntb-ed  and  fifty  fur  the  concession 
of  Le  Bhinc;  and  the  rest  were  to  settle  at  tlie  Yazoos. 
Until  now,  the  colonists  had  liardly  met  with  any 
hostility  from  the  Indians,  ext    pt  from' tlie  Natchez,  as 
we  have  seen,  under  the  adniinistratioi.   of  Cadillac, 
when  Bienville  was  sent  up  the  rivei-  l)y  that  governor 
to  demand  satisfaction  for  the  mure. or  of  several  French- 
men.    But  the  moment  wa-   <«ome  when  th(;ir  friend- 
ship or  indiiference  was  to  Lr  c-hanged  into  an  animos- 
ity productive  of  ruinous  and  disastrous  wars  tu  the  col- 
onists.    So  long  as  the  colony  had  remained  so  weak 
that  she  seemed  destined  to  perish  prematurely  from 
the  radical  vices   of  her   impei'fcct   organization,  her 
neighbors,  the    English,  had   not  thought   proper   to 
hasten  the  work  of  destruction.     But  they  took  um- 
brage at  the  m..re  vigorous  administration  of  the  com- 
pany, ^\liich,  in  spit(!  of  all  its  (  rrors  of  policy,  was  em- 
ploying its  capital  in  efforts  caJ  ulat.-d,  if  persisted  in, 
to  inake  of  Louisiana  an  impoitant  colonial  possession 
to  France.     England  never  sleeps  when  ]ier  inf. -rest  is 
■  stake:  and  she  began  to  take  active  but  secret  steps 
i»  check  the  pi-ogr<'ss  of  French  colonization  on  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi.    Besides,  the  French  and  P:ng- 
lish  ti-a(hM-s  used  to  meet         rynhere  among  tht    In- 
dians, and  their  opposition  or  con.netition  in  commeice 
soon  I  reduced  a  deep  feeling  of  hoslility.     Hence  origi- 
nated frc(pient  and  partial  collisions,  in  which  the  In- 

M 


Ml 


i 

i 

u  , 


IM.i 


f 

i 

)>fi 

r 

jir 

h 

k 

i 

i- 

266 


COMPLAINTS  OF  THE  COLONY. 


dians  always  took  part,  and  in  wliicli  tliey  never  failed 
to  be  divided  among  themselves :  one  nation,  or  one 
part  of  a  nation,  assisting  the  PJnglisli,  while  the  French, 
on  their  side,  were  not  lacking  in  the  same  kind  of 
support. 

This  state  of  things  gave  rise  to  repeated  murdei's, 
the  recital  of  which  would  ])e  l)iit  a  bloody  and  uniform 
catalogue,  producing  much  excitement  at  the  time,  but 
of  very  little  interest  in  our  days.  Thus,  this  year  1720 
was  marked  T)y  a  war  of  the  Fi'ench  Avith  the  Chicka- 
saws,  who  were  under  Britisli  influence.  Their  first  act 
of  hostility  was  to  assassinate  a  French  officer  named 
Sorvidal,  who  had  been  stationed  among  them  by  Bien- 
ville, as  a  sjiy  and  an  agent  of  the  company.  After 
long  negotiations,  l)acked  by  fair  promises  of  remune- 
ration in  merchandise,  Bienville  succeeded  in  opj)osing 
the  Choctaws  to  the  Chickasaws.  These,  and  tlie  Nat- 
chez, were  the  three  most  powerful  nations  with  which 
the  colony  had  to  deal,  and  we  shall  see  what  a  con- 
spicuous part  they  were  destined  to  play  in  its  history. 
The  other  smaller  Indian  tribes  remained  in  a  state  of 
neutrality. 

B}^  a  royal  ordinance,  the  military  forces  of  Louisi- 
ana were  fixed  at  twenty  companies  of  fifty  men  each. 
Such  were,  with  the  few  colonists  scattered  over  an 
immense  territory,  the  only  means  of  resistance  which 
Bienville  had  to  oppose  to  the  Indians,  and  to  the  other 
foes  Avho  might  threaten  the  colony. 

There  were  two  causes  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  Avhich  the  French  government 
attempted  to  remedy.  The  first,  that  there  was  not  in 
the  colony  a  sufficient  numl)er  of  \\'omen  ;  and  the  sec- 
ond, that  the  peoi)le  who  were  sent  to  colonize  the 
country  were  of  a  character  wdiich  made  them  dano-erous 
or  contaminating  associates  for  such  men  of  peaceful 


FJIKNC'H  COLONISTS  ARRIVE. 


267 


hahits  and  lionest  principles  as  had  voluntarily  come  to 
better  their  fortunes  in  the  colony.  Wishini?  to  re- 
dress these  grievances,  the  French  government  author- 
ized three  nuns,  Sister  (lertrude,  and  under  her,  Sister 
I^uise  and  Sister  Bergere,  to  conduct  to  Louisiana  a 
certain  number  of  girls  who  were  taken  from  the  hos- 
pital-general of  Paris,  on  their  consenting  to  emigrate. 
They  were  placed  under  the  sj)ecial  supervision  of  Sis- 
ter Gertrude,  and  could  not  marry  without  her  consent. 
It  was  also  ordei-ed  by  the  king  that  convicts  and  vaga- 
bonds should  no  longer  be  transported  to  Lt)uisiana, 
because  "  the  king  is  convinced,''  said  the  edict,  "  that 
their  presence  is  a  contagious  source  of  corruption,  not 
only  foi-  the  Europeans,  ])ut  also  for  the  a1)origines,  who 
are  kind-hearted,  honest,  industrious,  and  well-disposed 
toward  the  French." 

On  the  ;id  of  January,  1721,  a  ship  of  the  company 
arrived  with  three  hundred  colonists,  who  Avere  des- 
tined for  the  lands  gi-anted  to  Mme.  de  Chaumont, 
at  Pascagoulas,  and  in  February,  eighty  girls,  wlio  had 
been  taken  from  a  house  of  correction  in  I\iris,  called 
La  Salpetriere,  were  landed  in  Louisiana.  It  Avould 
seem  that  dissolute  women  were  not  looked  ujwn  as  being 
mcluded  in  the  recent  royal  edict  which  ])rohibited  the 
transportation  to  Louisiana  of  vagal  )onds  or  persons  of 
bad  morals ;  or  it  may  l)e  that  this  edict,  as  it  is  fre- 
quently the  case  with  such  things,  had  been  issued 
merely  to  stand  on  paper  fur  some  ])articular  pui-j^ose, 
but  not  to  be  executed. 

Good  or  l)ad,  however,  the  population  of  Louisiana 
was  fast  increasing,  and  the  French  government  thought 
it  sound  ])olicy  that  no  agi'icultural  produce  should  be 
raised  in  the  colony,  which  might  compete  with  that  of 
the  mother  countrv,  and  issued  accordino-lv  an  ordi- 
nance  Avhich  prohibited  in  Louisiana  the  cultivation  of 


"^ 

Wm 

■  ■ 

»f  - 

' '  {' 

J. 

\ 

\  d 


'M' 


n 


8'  <, 


268 


e. 


ti 


THE  DIRECTORS  OF  THE  COMPANY 


1      W'3 


the  vine,  hemp,  flax,  &c.  &c  Such  was  the  despotic, 
selfish,  and  short-sighted  i)olicy  of  what  was  then  called 
the  colonial  system. 

In  spite  of  all  the  efforts  made  by  the  company,  what 
contributed  still  more  i)owerfully  to  retard  the  pro- 
gress of  the  colony  was  the  never-ceasing  misunder- 
standing which  had  existed  among  its  officers  since  its 
foundation.     They  were  incessantly  counteracting  each 
other  by  reciprocal  opposition.     Between  their  pulling 
backward  and  forward,  and  the  struggle  of  their  con- 
tention, the  distracted   colony  staggered  in  its  feeble 
march,  and  could  hardly  keep  its  ground.     The  reports 
made  by  the  agents  of  the  company  on  the  situation  of 
its  aftairs  were  of  the  gloomiest  character.     The  dis- 
bursements were  enormous,  and  no  gains  had  hitherto 
accrued  to  the  stockhoklers,  ^\•hose  dissatisfaction  was 
loudly  expressed.     The  dii'ection  was  reproached  with 
having  made  unwise  and  uncalled-for  expenses,  which 
would  never  be  productive,  and   w  itii  having  selected 
officers  more  solicitous  about  their  own  interests  than 
those  of  the  company.     The  fall  of  Law,  and  the  crisis 
which  followed,  l)r()ught  down  still  lower  the  shares  of 
the  stockholders  in  the  i\Iississi]ipi  Comjxany,  and  their 
disappointment  became  exciteil    into  clani.^rous  rage. 
Frightened  by  the  general  l)urst  of  indignation  whi'^h 
assailed  them,  the  directors  wroti;  to  Bienville  that  f\\Q 
Regent  had  complained  of  the  paucity  and  inefficacy  of 
his  services ;  that  they  had  excused  him  with  his  royal 
highiu'ss  on  the  ground  that  the  vei-y  agents  of  the 
compauy  had  checked  or  weakened  the  execution  of  all 
his  ])lans;    that  they  Avould,  in  conse(pience,   change 
those  agents,  and  sul)stitute  for  them  such  as  wouhi  be 
entirely  his  su])oi'diuates;  that  he  would  then  liave  a 
fair  opportunity  to  show  what  he  could  do,  when  h^ft 
to  his  own  judgment,  and  to  deserve  ruwartls  which 


\l\ 


URGE  BIENVILLE  TO  FURTHER  EXERTIONS. 


269 


'}^P 


would  be  commensurate  with  the  merit  of  his  deeds ; 
that  none  hut  real  services  Avould  gain  for  liim  the  grade 
of  brigadior-general,  at  which  he  aimed,  and  the  great 
cross  of  St,  Louis,  which  was  the  object  of  his  wishes, 
and  which  the  Regent  had  promised  to  bestow  upon 
him  when  deserved.  The  directors  thus  hoped  to  stim- 
ulate the  aml)ition  of  Bienville  into  the  adoption  and 
the  carrying  on  of  a  system  of  administration  in  the 
colony,  which  might  prove  more  advantageous  to  the 
company  than  all  the  plans  which  had  hitherto  been 
pursued  without  success. 

In  the  month  of  March,  two  hundred  German  emi- 
grants arrived  in  the  colony,  "ihey  were  sent  by  Lav^ 
to  settle  on  his  Arkansas  concessions,  and  they  had  de- 
parted from  France  on  the  eve  of  his  flight  from  that 
kingdom.  They  were  soon  followed  by  five  hundred 
negroes  transported  from  Africa  by  the  company.  This 
was  a  valuable  addition  to  the  population  of  Louisiana, 
but  the  time  when  it  came  did  not  happen  to  be  op- 
portune, on  account  of  the  great  scarcity  of  provisions 
under  which  the  country  was  then  suffering.  With 
these  Gei-man  emigrants  there  was  a  woman  wliose  des- 
tinies, if  thty  be  true  as  related,  bid  defiance  to  the 
inventions  of  the  wildest  romance. 

Let  us  go  back  to  1712.  At  that  time,  the  Duke  of 
Brunswick  Wolfenbuttel  had  a  daughter  named  Char- 
lotte,  who  was  a  paragon  of  beauty,  of  virtue,  and  of 
talent.  Who  would  not  have  loved  such  a  being? 
And  so  she  was — by  every  inhabitant  of  that  little 
ducliy.  What  could  be  more  auspicious  than  the  be- 
ginning (.f  such  a  life !  But  at  that  time  also,  it  hap- 
l)ened  that  Peter  the  Great  had  a  son  named  Alexis, 
who.  altliough  heir-apparent  to  the  crown,  and  the 
future  ruler  of  millions  of  men,  was  so  steeped  in  /ice, 
80  coated  over  with  stu])idity,  and  so  tlioroughly  im- 


■ll 
I 


I, 

;!  . 

in 

m 


'  «■!  •'■  I 

?,M 

1M      f    * 
..     ;li      :     . 

i^. 


Hi 

'    'M- 

f ; 

liiy 

litl 

1    ^Mi 


i      i 


w 


270 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


l)ue(l  with  Avic'kcdiiess,  tliat  liin  ftitlier,  as  more  than  one 
fatlior  has  done  in  such  ca-scs,  sent  liim  on  liis  travels, 
]HM'l;v{)s  in  tiie  hope  that  he  wouhl  either  mend  liis  na- 
ture by  accidental  circumstances,  l>y  a  change  of  air  or 
of  sights,  by  a  better  knowledge  of  tlie  world  and  a 
more  extensive  ac([uaintance  with  mankind,  or  that  he 
would  l)reak  his  neck  on  the  pu])lic  roads.  In  liis  per- 
egrinations, the  Muscovite  prince  stumbled  on  the  Lil- 
li[)utian  court  of  Brunswick,  and  savagely  brutish  as  he 
WJ1.S,  he  felt  the  charm  which  the  J^rincess  Charlotte  ex- 
ercised on  all  that  appertained  to  the  human  ci'eation. 
The  Tzai"  Peter  heard  with  surprise  of  the  new  and 
strange  impression  which  had  been  produced  on  Alexis, 
and  he  was  led  to  think  that  his  son  was  not  altogether 
df'j>rived  (a  thing  which  he  had  always  held  in  doubt) 
of  that  organ  which  is  called  the  heart.  Seizing  the 
occa'^ion  by  the  forelock,  he  ordered  the  hopeful  heir 
to  the  Russian  throne  to  marry  the  Gtu-man  ])i'incess. 
lie  considered  that  the  l)right  rays  emanating  from  the 
perfections  of  the  wife  might  ]>en(^trate  into  the  dark 
abyss  Avhere  the  imperfectit)ns  of  tlm  husl)and  were 
pandei'ing  to  each  other,  and  that  the  spirit  of  good 
might,  to  some  degree,  control  the  spirit  of  evil,  if 
linked  together. 

The  poor  Duke  of  Brunswick  did  not  venture  to  give 
a  denial  to  the  demand  made  by  the  liaughty  and  pow- 
erful despot  of  the  North.  But  dec[)  was  the  gloom 
Avhich,  on  that  occasion,  settled  over  the  whole  territory 
of  that  little  duchy,  and  the  marriage  ceremony  looked 
more  like  a  funenil  than  a  wedding.  Why  not?  It 
was  the  consecration  of  the  union  of  the  <lead  with  the 
living — nay,  st)mt thing  worse — the  hideous  conjuncticm 
of  the  putrefaction  of  the  chariud  with  the  and)rosial 
purity  of  heaven.  Amid  tin'  general  desolation,  there 
was  one  heart,  above  all,  that  was  riveu  asunder,  as  if 


i'f 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTK 


271 


a  wedge  had  l)een  forced  into  its  very  core.  Look  at 
that  pale  face  sicklied  over  with  grief!  What  agony 
is  there  not  in  those  eyes  fixed  on  that  altar,  and  on 
that  bride,  so  lovely  and  so  sad !  How  fearfully  the 
soul  works  on  the  huiium  frame,  and  how  indelibly  it 
writes  a  tale  of  woe  on  that  expressive  and  ])lastic  tab- 
let— the  forehead  of  man !  He,  whose  quivering  lips 
denoted  the  fearful  struggle  within,  was  the  Chevalier 
d'Aubaut,  a  young  Fi-eiichmai:,  who  was  attached  to 
the  conrt  of  JJi-unswick,  as  an  officc^r  in  the  Duke's 
household.  Alas!  a  common  one  his  fate  had  been 
since  the  creation  of  woman.  He  had  so  gazed  on  the 
star  of  beauty— that  he  had  become  mad— mad  with 
love ! 

Now  the   Princess   (Jharlotte  is  on  her  way  to  St. 
Petersl)UT-g,  and  fast  ti-avelcis  are  those  horses  of  the 
Ukraine,  the  wild  Mazei)pa  horses  that  are  speeding 
away  with  her !     A  tkst  ti-aveler  is  the  Kussian  bear, 
who  is  cai'iyingto  his  den  the  prize  he  has  won,  but  the 
real  merit  of  which  he  no  moi-e  values,  than  a  turkey 
would  know  tlu;  worth  of  the  diamond  ])icked  up  by 
chance,  for  want  of  a  brickbat,  and  swallowed  to  aid 
its  digestion.     Among  the  wild-looking  escort  of  Cos- 
sacks  who  suri-ounded  the  princess  tliei-e  was  one,  how- 
ever, who  seenuid  fully  to  a]>[)reciate  his  new  sovereign. 
With  his  shaggy  bonnet  puHed  down  to  his  eyebrows, 
and  his  tartar  cloak   closely  muffled  u[)  to  his  ears,  he 
rode  close  to  the  carriage  door,  with  watchful  care,  and 
seeming  to  scan  minutely  the   dangers  of  the  roads. 
Bay  and  night,  he  was  at  his   ])ost.     Whenever  the 
horses  of  the  vehich>  which  carried  the  prince  and  his 
l)ri(h^  threatened  to  l)econie  unruly,  his  hand  was  al- 
ways  the  first  to  interfere  and  to  check  them;  and  all 
other  services  that  chance  threw  in  his  way,  he  would 
render  with  meek  and  unobtrusive  eagerness ;  but  silent 


If' 


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272 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


he  was  as  the  tomb.  Whenever  the  princess  alighted, 
deeper  and  more  reverential  was  his  obeisance  than  that 
of  any  of  his  companions.  Once,  on  such  an  occasion, 
no  doubt  as  an  honorable  reward  for  his  submissive  be- 
havior and  faithful  attendance,  the  princess  beckoned 
to  him  to  lend  Iier  the  help  of  his  arm  to  come  down 
the  steps  of  her  carriage.  Slight  was  the  touch  of  that 
tiny  hand ;  light  was  the  weight  of  that  sylj^h-like 
form  :  and  yet  the  rough  Cossack  trembled  like  aspen 
leaf,  and  staggered  under  the  convulsive  effort  which 
shook  his  bold  frame. 

Now  the  cannon  booms,  the  bells  ring  merrily,  the 
people  shout,  drums  beat,  and  a  thousand  other  military 
instruments  strain  their  brazen  throats— the  bride  of 
Alexis  has  come,  a'ld  enters  the  imperial  palace.  On 
the  evening  of  that  very  day,  a  ccmfidenticd  servant 
slipped  into  the  hand  of  the  Cossack,  with  whom 
we  have  become  acquainted,  a  small  sealed  bundle, 
containing  two  pieces  of  paper.  One  was  a  letter ;  it 
ran  thus : — 

"D'AUBANT, 

"  Your  disguise  was  not  one  for  mc.  It  could  not  deceive  my  heart. 
Now  that  I  am  the  wife  of  anotlier,  know  for  the  first  time  my  long  kept 
secret— T  love  you.  Sucli  a  confession  is  a  declaration  that  we  must  never 
meet  again. 


The  mercy  of  C!od  be  upon  us  both  ! 


Charlotte." 


The  other  paper  was  a  passport  signed  by  the  emperor 
himself,  and  giving  to  the  Chevalier  d'Aubant  permission 
to  leave  the  empire  at  his  convenience.  Before  the 
sun  w{is  up,  next  morning,  the  princess'  wish  had  been 
complied  with,  aiul  dAubant  was  already  journeying 
far  away  from  St.  Peters)  )urer. 

^  Whither  he  went,  no  one  knew,  ])ut  in  1718,  he  ar- 
rived  in  Louisiana  with  the  grade  of  captain  in  the 


I 


)  » 


STORY  OP  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


273 


colonial  troops.  Shortly  after,  he  was  stationed  at 
New  Orleans,  whore,  beyond  the  dischai-ge  of  his  duties 
he  shunned  the  contact  of  his  brother  officers,  and 
lived  in  the  utmost  solitude.  No  fault  was  found'  with 
his  want  of  sociability,  because  although  his  physio<r. 
nomy  was  calm  and  placid,  yet  there  was  in  it  that  in- 
describable expression  which  indicated  that  under  it 
lurked  such  sorrow  as  commanded  respect  and  sym- 
pathy. -^ 

On  the  bank  of  Bayou,  or  river  St.  John,  on  the  land 
known  m  our  days  as  Allard's  plantation,  and  on  the 
very  site  where  now  stands  the  large  and  airy  house 
which  we  see,  the'-e  was  a  small  village  of  friendly  In- 
dians.    From  the  bank  opposite  the  village,  beginning 
where  at  a  much  later  period  was  to  T)e  erected  the 
bridge  which  spans  the  Bayou,  a  winding  path  made 
by  the  Indians,  and  subsequently  enlarged  hito  JJm/oii, 
Road  by  the  European  settlers,  ran  through  a  tliick 
forest,   and   connected   the   Indian    village   witli   the 
French  settlement  of  New  Orleans.     With  the  consent 
of  the  Indians,  in  order  the  better  to  indulge  in  his 
solitary  mood,  d'Aubant  had  there  formed  a  rural  re- 
treat, wliej-e  he  sj>ent  most  of  the  time  he  could  spare 
from  his  military  avocations.     Plain  and  rude  was  the 
soldier's  dwelling;  but  it  contained,  as  ornament,  a fdll 
length  aud  admirable  portrait  of  a  female  surpassingly 
beautiful,  in  the    contemplation    of  which   d'Aubant 
would   frefpiently   remain   absorbed   as    in   a   trance. 
There  was  in  this    painting  a  remarkable  feature,  no 
doubt  allegorical.     Near  the  figure  represented,  stood 
a  tabJe^on  wliich  lay  a  crown,  resting  not  on  a  cushion, 
as  usu'i',  b  >  on  a  heart  which  it  crushed  with  its  weight' 
and  at  wi -ch  the  lady  gazed  witli  intense  melanclioly! 
This  painting  attracted,  of  course,  a  good  deal  of  ob- 
servation, but  no  one  dared  to  allude  to  it.     By  intui- 


■i    I  ■'  r 


■'Ml 
if  I 


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11 


274 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


tion,  every  one  felt  that  it  was  sacred  ground  on  which 
inquiry  ought  not  to  tread. 

Where  was  all  the  while  the  Princess  Charlotte,  the 
gilded  victim  of  imperial  misery  ?  Was  she  beloved 
as  she  deserved  by  her  lord  and  master,  Alexis  Petro- 
witz,  the  stupid  son  of  Peter  the  Great?  No!  the 
brute  had  been  true  to  his  groveling  nature ;  the  swine 
had  gone  back  to  its  sty ;  the  gross  and  sensual  appe- 
tite of  the  man,  who  knew  naught  beyond  the  gratifi- 
cation of  lustful  passion,  had  turned  away  from  the 
ethenuil  charms  of  the  goddess ;  the  prince  had  bestow- 
ed his  affections,  such  as  they  could  be,  on  one  of  the 
female  scullions  of  his  kitclums, — a  Cossack  maid, — a 
she  bear  worthy  of  her  mate.  One  day,  entering  his 
wufe's  apartments,  in  a  state  of  half-inebriation,  he  in- 
sisted upon  her  receiving  his  paramour  into  her  house- 


maids of  honor. 


Mild  was  her  nega- 


hold  among  her 
tive  answer,  but  decisive  and  dignified  in  its  tone. 
Heated  by  the  fumes  of  his  deep  potations,  fiercely  im- 
petuous by  the  nature  which  he  inherited  from  his 
father,  and  which  education  had  not  modified,  excited 
by  such  contradiction  as  he  was  not  used  to  meet,  the 
barbarian  prince  gradually  worked  himself  into  a  par- 
oxysm of  frantic  rage,  foamed  at  the  mouth  like  an  in- 
furiated dog,  and  Avith  the  wild  gestures  and  terrific 
shrieks  of  a  maniac,  rushed  upon  his  wife,  whom,  with 
repeated  blows,  he  laid  prostrate  on  the  floor,  senseless 
and  cold  in  appai-ent  death.  Of  the  bystandei-s  none 
dared  to  interfere  to  protect  the  victim  of  brutality ; 
for  although  dignified  with  the  names  of  noblemen  and 
gentlemen,  they  Avere  slaves,  and  their  master  a  despot. 
But  the  justice  of  heaven  was  not  asleep ;  and  when, 
not  many  years  aftei",  Alexis  the  brute  showed  an  un- 
doubted and  immutable  determination  to  arrest,  when 
power  should  be  his,  the  civilization  which  Peter  the 


il'=i 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


275 


Great  was  imparting  to  Russia,  Europe  stood  agliast  on 
witnessing  a  father  butchering  his  own  son. 

But  the  princess  lias  recovered  from  her  swoon,  and 
she  is  left  alone,  with  her  friend  and  bosom  companion, 
the  Countess  of  Kcenigsmark.  Long  did  they  converse 
together  in  subdued  tones,  and  what  they  said  none 
ever  knew.  But  if  one  had,  with  indiscreet  eye,  ob- 
served the  expression  of  their  faces  and  the  nervous 
contraction  of  their  whispering  lips,  he  would  have  con- 
ceived that  these  fee1)le  beings  had  been  roused  into 
the  commission  of  some  deed  of  desperate  energy.  It 
was  evident  that  the  cup  of  bitterness  had  overflowed; 
that  enough  had  been  meekly,  patiently  borne  with ; 
that  the  limits  of  human  endurance  had  been  passed ; 
and  in  those  flashing  eyes,  although  they  were  those  of 
women,  there  could  be  seen  the  deep-seated  resolve,  the 
stern  decree  of  immuta])le  fete.  That  very  night,  the 
Countess  of  Kcenigsmark  entered  secretly  the  princess* 
room,  and  there  was  reacted  that  scene  where  Friar 
Lawrence  says  to  Juliet: 

"  Take  thou  this  phial,  being  then  in  bed, 

And  this  distilled  lic^uor  driiiit  thou  off: 

When,  presently,  through  all  thy  veins  shall  lua 

A  cold  and  drowsy  humor,  which  shall  seize 

Each  vital  spirit;  for  no  pulse  shall  keep 
His  natural  progrrs-i,  ))ut  surcea^;  to  beat. 

Ko  warmth,  no  breath,  shall  testify  thou  hv'st; 

The  roses  in  thy  lips  and  cheeks  shall  fade 

To  paly  ashes ;  thy  eyes'  windows  fall, 

Like  death,  when  he  shuts  up  the  day  of  life ; 

Each  part  deprived  of  supple  government. 

Shall  stiff,  and  stark,  and  cold,  appear  like  death} 

And  in  this  borrowed  likeness  of  shrunk  de.ith 

Thou  shalt  remain  full  twoand  forty  hours. 

And  then  awake  as  from  a  [ileasant  sleep. 

Now  when  the  bridegroom  in  the  morning  cornea 

To  rouse  thee  from  thy  bed,  there  art  thou  dead. 

Then,  (as  the  manner  of  our  country  is,) 

In  thy  best  robes  uncovered  on  the  bier, 

Thou  shalt  be  borne  to  that  same  ancient  vault, 

Where  all  the  kindred  of  the  Capulets  lie." 


!'  s 


"    . 


iiii  • 


illl;. 


iflPWf*' 


'< 


376 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE. 


The  imperial  funeral  took  place,  and  according  to  the 
plan  which  had  been  laid,  the  Avhole  of  Europe  was  de- 
ceived. The  Princess  Charlotte  of  Brunswick  Wolfen- 
buttel,  the  wife  of  Alexis  Petrowitz,  was  uo  more,  but 
the  woman  was  not  dead — the  Juliet  that  loved  a  Ro- 
meo had  burst  out  of  her  tomb — poor  indeed,  unknown, 
without  rank,  without  family,  without  menial  attend- 
ance, but  free,  with  the  whole  world  before  hei*,  and 
with  Love  and  Hope  for  her  handmaids.  That  was 
enough ! 

AVith  the  two  hundred  emigrants  who  had  arrived  in 
March,  1721,  there  had  come,  as  I  have  already  said,  a 
woman  who,  by  her  beauty  and  by  that  nameless  thing 
which  marks  a  superior  being  or  extraordinary  destinies, 
had,  on  her  landing  at  New  Orleans,  attracted  public 
attention.  She  immediately  inquired  for  the  Chevalier 
d'Aubant,  to  whom  she  pretended  to  be  recommended. 
She  waa  informed  that  he  was  at  his  retreat  on  the  Ba- 
you St.  John,  and  that  he  Avould  be  sent  for.  But  she 
eagerly  opposed  it,  and  demanded  that  a  guide  should 
conduct  her  to  d'Aubant's  rural  dwelling. 

It  Avas  on  a  vernal  evening,  and  the  last  rays  of  the 
sun  were  lingering  in  the  west.  Seated  in  front  of  the 
portrait  which  we  know,  d'Aubant,  with  his  eyes  rooted 
to  the  ground,  seemed  to  be  plunged  in  deep  reverie. 
Suddenly  he  looked  up — gracious  heaven !  it  was  no 
longer  a  mere  inanimate  representation  of  fictitious  life 
which  he  saw — it  was  flesh  and  blood — the  dead  was 
alive  again — and  confronting  him  with  a  smile  so  sweet 
and  sad — with  eyes  moist  Avith  rapturous  tears — and 
with  such  an  expression  of  concentrated  love  as  can 
only  be  borrowed  from  the  abode  of  bliss  above.  "  O 
God !"  exclaimed  d'Aubant,  starting  up  and  convul- 
sively pressing  his  forehead  Avith  his  hands,  "  Avhat 
phantasy  of  a  fevered  brain  is  this !     Mercy  on  me ! — I 


STORY  OF  THE  PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE  CONCLUDED.        277 

am  mad !"  But  soon  he  felt  that  the  being  who  nestled 
in  his  bosom,  that  the  amis  folded  round  his  neck,  were 
not  creations  of  a  delirious  imagination.  What  pen 
could  do  justice  to  this  scene?  Away  then  with  de- 
scription !  What  need  should  there  be  of  any  eftbrt  of 
the  mind  to  paint  what  the  heart  can  so  easily  conceive  ! 
Suffice  it  to  say  that,  on  the  next  day,  the  Chevalier 
d'Aubant  Avas  married  to  the  mysterious  stranger,  who 
gave  no  other  name  to  the  inquiring  priest  than  that  of 
Charlotte.  In  commemoration  of  this  event,  they 
planted  those  two  oaks,  which,  looking  like  twins  and 
interlocking  their  leafy  arms,  are,  to  this  day,  to  be 
seen  standing  side  by  side  on  the  bank  of  the  St.  John, 
and  bathing  their  feet  in  the  stream,  a  little  to  the  right 
of  the  bridge,  as  you  cross  it,  in  front  of  AUard's  plan- 
tation. 

It  is  strange  how  the  most  secret  events  will  tran- 
spire !  With  the  fluidity  of  gas,  they  evaporate  through 
thick  walls  of  stone,  and  are  scattered  over  the  whole 
world.  ^  For  instance,  what  gave  currency  at  the  time 
to  the  circumstances  Avhich  I  have  related  ?  By  what 
concealed  agency  events  are  known  with  a.stonishingly 
minute  precision  in  distant  places,  long  before  they 
could  be  carried  there  by  any  physical  process?  Is  it 
second  sight,  magnetic  ])ercei)tion,  supernatural  intui- 
tion, or  the  electric  traveling  of  the  mind  ?  Are  there 
mysterious  carriers  of  news  through  heaven  and  earth? 
Certain  it  is,  that  although  d'Au])ant  and  his  wife  kept 
their  own  secret  and  Ywed  in  almost  monastic  retire- 
ment, rumors  about  their  wonderful  history  were  so 
rife  in  tlie  colony,  and  the  attention  of  which  they 
became  the  objects,  subjected  them  to  so  much  un- 
easiness, that  d'xVnbant  contrived  to  leave  the  coun- 
try  soon  after,  and  went  to  Paris,  where  his  wife  having 
met  the  Mai'shal  of  Saxe,  in  the  garden  of  the  Tuileriesj 


(i.'i 


I 


'!■  I 


:  u 


i !   M 


^  ;J1 


278 


NKW   IlKdiri.ATIONH  [N  TIIK  dor.ONY". 


ill  n  slulr  iMiidniiiu;;  on  dcslil  utioii.     Tlic  purtic 


u« 


Ml  iiiniiv  iiM'inoirs  <>t 


hjkI  liriii/j^  n-.'oi^Mii'/cd  l>y  liim,  «'hcuih'(,  (Irlcrlion  wltli 
Ui(«  f^iciilcsl,  (lidicully.  I )'Aiil>iiiit  (l«'|))irlc(l  willi  tlu^ 
^nulc  «»riiinj(»i-  lor  the  IhIiukI  of  noiirlxiii,  wlicic  li((  iv.^ 
Hided  lor  n  considcrahlc  lime.  In  lT.'>l,on  Ihm  dciitli, 
Ills  widow  n'liirncd  to  TjinM  willi  u  daiii^lilcr,  the  onl^ 
o(ls|»iin<:^  of  Ii<.r  union  willi  (rAuhjiiil,  iind  in  1771,  sIk 
dic.l 

lurs  of  (liiM  .'id  vent  lire  jii'<i  loniid 
Mic  cpocli,  jind  in  llic  iiofcs  and  |)ii|»cis  of  Diiclos;  Imt 
IjCv«'S(|ii(',  in  Ins  liisloiy  of  Iviissia,  (Jrimin,  in  Iiis  «m)i% 
r('N|»on(l«'iu-(',  iind  IIk'  siM'|)ti('  N'ollaiic,  in  ii  Icftcr  wliicli 
lie  piiMislicd  on  llic  l5Mli  l<\'l»niarv,  I7sl,  deny  tlin 
truth  oI"(Ih«  story  as  Itcini,'  (oo  iniprohahlc.  IIo\vov«m', 
tli»«  ('.\|)('ri('iic('  of  ('cnlurirs  Icaclifs  us  thai,  nothiuij^  in 
iu»>iv  proIial>li>  (liaii  iiiiprohahililirs:  and  niiisl,  it  not 
i)«'  iiil'crit'd  llial  llitic  was  sonic  loundalioii  lor  llit^  ro* 
Iiiantic  inridciils  I  have  rccordi'd,  wlicu  llicy  assumed 
HUi'li  a  suhslanlial  sliape  as  to  hei-onic  a  suhjeci  of  s<u'i- 
ous  t'onlrovt'isy  wills  iiicn  of  the  liii;Ii(>st  dislinction  i 


Oil  till'  .Mil  of  Si'picnihcr,  a  t'ouncii  of  adniinisi rat 


U)I1 


jor  tlic  allliirs  oi'  th 


le  *'()iii|»a!iy  in    liouisiaiiu  was  ori^aii- 


l/.ed,  i\U{\  eoniposfi'  as  follows;  llic  i^'ovcmor,  the  liiMi- 
leiiant  de  roi,  t>r  lii-utcnanl-i^overuor,  the  directeur  or- 
diMiiiateiii',  or  eoininissary   direeloi-,   the  ehief  direeloi*, 

eounts.     This  eouneil  was  to  niet^fc 


ntid  sul>-direi'tor  of  ao 

oveiy   day    at.    N\'w    Hiloxi,  mIum-c   its   ineinhers   w(>n^ 


I 


)ount 


1   i 


<)  resi(i(>    wi 


th   tl 


le  e\e( 


jitiou 


OI 


li 


ieu\  il 


Ili0 


p>veriu<r,  avIu^  uas  permitted  to  resi(K>  ai  New  OrltvuH. 
Tho  deliberations  of  the  i-ouneil  were  to  he  taithfully 
rded:  ot'  wliieli  journal,  eopies  were  1o  l»e  sent,  to 

rci^retted  ihat  this  record  ] 


re 

1 


1!W 


rauee,  and  it   is  to   oe  rci^re 
l\o\  been  transmit  ted  io  us, 

.It  Was  onlered.  Ly  a  deere(\  tliat  flie  ineri'liandiso  of 
tlie  company  should  he  sold  at  !New  t)rleanSj  Jiilox?, 
aud  3lol>ilc,  ut  liftj  per  wout.  prolit;  vn  tlicir  urigiujil 


roi'dl-ATrON  OK  LOUISIANA  IN  T, 


879 


coat  ia  Kniiiw; ;  at  Niitchc/  and  Y;i/.oo,  K(!v<!iity  T)er 
cent..;  uf  Arkmisjis,  at  oik;  liundrcjd  por  cent.;  au<\  at 
tln'  AlihjiiMotis,  at  llfty  per  c(!nt.,  on  account,  as  it  .jw 
CA  preHs<  I,  of  'niipditimi  ariKi.iKj  from,  thr,  proxnnity 
<f  f''  .,i<iil.s:     On  ilic.  'J7tli  of  \\n'.  same  month, 

it  u'UH  <l»  i.'nirm.'d  that  n«'^M'o(!H  should,  on  an  avdiwo 
be  Hohl  to  th(!  iidiahitants  lor  GOO  livrcs,  for  which  thciir 
notes  were  t<>  be  furnished,  on  three  years'  cr(!(lit,  pay- 
ix\)V\  hy  ecpial  instahiients,  either  in  tohacco  or  in  ri(!e, 
aceordlnn;  to  a,i,n'e«!nient.  When  two  terniM  hectainc!  (hjo, 
if'th(!  purchaser  couhl  not  pay  one  third  of  tii<;  aniount, 
the  iici^M'ors  w<!r('  resold,  after  «hio  i)ul)licatioii,  and  after 
notice;  i^i  of  the  sah;  to  the;  j)ul.lic.  Shouhl  tlie  re- 
Hult  of  the  sale  l»e  not  such  as  to  ])ay  tlie  company,  and 
to  meet  all  other  <'Xpen-.-s,  tin;  debtor  was  liable  to  jm- 
l)risonment. 

'J'obacco,  <iifciilll(.s'^  or  l(!af  tobacco,  fair  (piality,  wafli 
i(k  b(;  received  in  payment  of  ne<,n-oes,  at  tin;  rate;  of 
twenty-live  cents  per  hundn'd  ])ounds,  and  ric(!  at 
twelve  cents,  when  (leliver(>d  at  tlu;  comi)any's  ware- 
]iouseH  at  'New  Orleans,  New  Hilo.xi,  oi-  Mobile,  Wine 
Was  to  be  sold  by  the  comj)any  at  ILM)  livres  ])er  cask, 
and  brandy  at  the  same  ])rice  for  a  quart(;r  of  a  cask, 

Jjoiiisiana  wns  divided  into  nine  territorial  districts, 
tfudi  as  JS'ew  Orleans,  JViloxi,  Mobile,  Alibanions,  Nat- 
chez, Ya/oo,  Natchitoches,  Arkansas  and  Illinois.  There 
were  to  be  for  each  district  a  commander  or  governor, 
and  u  judi^e  from  whose  decisions  a])peals  could  be 
taken  to  the  Su|)enor  C'oimcil,  sitting  at  New  Biloxi, 
This  order  of  things  was  established,  as  stated  in  the 
decree,  ioputjn,sil('(\  w/'f/i  (jrcater  ea-se^  withm  reach  of 
the  colon  /.vAs'. 

lu  the  inontli  of  Juno  of  tlie  year  I'lSl,  tliero  re- 
mained in  the  <*olony  .six:  bund  red  negroes,  and  four 
Luiidred  t)ut  uf  the  live  hundred  colonists  wbo  were  in 


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LOSS  OF  ONE  OF  THE  COMPANY'S  SHIPS, 


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the country,  when  Crozat  had  given  up  his  charter. 
Seven  thousand  and  twenty  individuals  had  been  trans- 
ported  by  the  company  in  forty-three  vessels  specially 
employed  for  that  purpose,  from  the  25th  of  October, 
1717,  to  May,  1721.     But  of  this  number  about  2000 
having  died,  deserted,  or  returned  to  France  by  permis- 
sion, the   remaining  white  population  did  not  exceed 
5420  souls.   The  expenses  of  administration,  however,  al- 
though the  territory  was  so  thinly  peopled,  proved  very 
considerable,  and  amounted,  this  year,  to  474,274  livres. 
A  ship  of  the  company  had  left  France  in  1718,  with 
troops  and  one  hundred  convicts,  but  had  never'  been 
heard  of.     Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1721,  there 
arrived  in  Louisiana,  a  French  officer  Avho  gave  some 
account  of  the  ill-fated  vessel.     It  appears  that  her  cap- 
tain had  mistaken  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and  had 
entered,  by  the  29th  degree  of  latitude,  into  a  large 
bay,  where  he  at  last,  but  too  late,  discovered  his  error. 
Hardly  had  the  ship  anchored,  when  a  contagious  epi- 
lemic  broke  out  among  the  convicts,  and  produced  such 
dreadful  havoc,  that  five  of  the  officers,  named  Belleisle, 
Allard,  De  Lisle,  Legendre  and  Corlat,  thought  that  it 
would  be  less  dangerous  for  them  to  land,  well  pro- 
vided with  arms  and  with  eight  days'  provisions,  than 
to  remain  on  board  in  a  pestiferous  atmosphere.     Their 
hope  was  to  meet  with  some  friendly  Indian  who  could 
guide  them  to  the  Fi-ench  settlements,  which  they  con- 
jectured to  be  not  far  off.     In  the  mean  time,  the  ship 
Bailed  away,  and  of  her  there  never  wa.s  any  further 
tidings.     For  several  days  the  five  adventurers   wan- 
dered in  every  direction  without  discovering  any  habi- 
tation or  meeting  any  human  ])eing.     They  exhausted 
their  provisions  and  amnniniti.)ii,  and  had  to  rely  alto- 
gether on  the  scanty  supjily  of  food  they  could  procure. 
Unused  to  the  climate,  broken  down  by  privations  of 


FATE  OP  THE  SURVIVOIH;  jgi 

evory  kind,  Allard  was  tl,e  ft-^t  to  perish  ;_ne  Lisle 

which  Cor  at  and  Belle.sle  ,]ng  for  him.    Then  these 
wo  men  looked  at  each  other  with  mute  despar   n 

passed,  and  they  seemed  to  scrutinize  each  other's  face 
to  aseertam  which  of  the  two  would  bury  the  other 
one  A  few  days  had  i,ar,)!y  elapsed,  when  CoriI[ 
bade  a  last  farewell  to  Belleisle,  and  yie Med  the  thosf 
Bellcsle  covered  his  companion's  corpse  witlfd' 
eaves,  branches  and  bushes,  and  then  threw  himself  on 
he  ground  with  the  determination  to  die     B«    the 

b  aced  up  h,s  energies  to  escape  from  the  death  he  had 
but  ately  coveted.  He  sought  the  sea-shore,  wh«-e  h« 
l.ved  on  the  contents  of  .shells,  on  fish,  ,,nd  on  roo  s 
anxiously  passing  many  a  weary  day  ii  st„dyh,r2' 
In-oad  ...xpanse  of  the  Gulf  of  Me.vico,  with  r°h„pe 
tn.at  some  vessel  might  heave  in  si-dit  ^ 

nifta"tt!.ref'M','~T'' ,''?'"  ™  "°  '^P-*  "f-'-?- 
po>,e  I  to  all  the  niclemencies  of  the  we.ither  livin..  on 
unwholesome  food,  sometimes  deprived  of  anj   w  ™  on 
byment,al  an.viety  a,  well  as  by  bodily  sutirinls  ll 
--  reduced  to  ,a  frightful  state  of  enfaciati.  n  /^^knd 
wah  h,s  overgrown  shaggy  hair  and  beard,  he    ooked 
moiv  hke  a  wdd  beast  than  a  man.     His  streM,>t 
g..adua,,y  failing,  he  felt  that  lit.  w..  ^  efl  •:?     a^ 
and  that  a  slow,  Imgermg  death-the  death  of  starve 
tion-was  starmg  him  in  a,  ,■,,,      ^ue  day  that  he 
was  lymg  on  the  groun.l,  incapable,  as  he    ho,H     I 
motion,  and  with  his  feeble  vision  s;annii,g  the  Won 
vluci  seemed  to  dance  round  him,  as  it "rec.  1    I  and 
faded  away  from  his  swimming  sight,  he  be  iv  d  he 
saw  a  light  grayish  smoke  rising  sbwly  abov    t     d t 


'i   '•' 


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282 


MISFORTUNES  OF  BELLEISLE. 


►  i 


111 


ill'' 


llH, 


tant  trees,  out  of  the  skirt  of  the  forest.     Oh !  how  his 
heart  leaped  within  his  breast !— he  shaded  his  eyes 
with  his  tremulous  hands,  and  looked  again  with  fearful 
doubt  and  agonizing  anxiety.     Yes !— it  was  a  smoke  ! 
And  the  gladful  conviction  flashing  on  his  soul,  drew  a 
flood  of  tears  down  his  wasted  and  hollow  cheeks.     He 
raised  his  skeleton  hands  toward  heaven,  and  with  a 
full  heart  thanked  the  Almighty.     Then  up  to  his  feet 
he  spi-ang— but  he  staggered  back  and  fell.    Good  God ! 
will  the  miserable  remnant  of  his  physical  powers,  al- 
though so  powerfully  simulated  by  the  prospect  of'  re- 
lief, tail  him  entirely  when  most  needed— at  such  a  crit- 
ical moment !     Making  a  desperate  effort,  he  rose  again 
and  reeled  forward  to  some  distance.     Then,  he  crept 
along  like  a  snake— now  panting  with  exertion  and  fa- 
tigue—now resting  awhile— now  again  dragging  him- 
self painfully,  with  his  eyes  stretched  and  riveted  on 
the  merrily  curling  smoke.    Oh  !  Iiow  he  trembled  that 
it  should  suddenly  disappear!     His  excitement  grew 
more  intense  as  he  drew  nearer,  and  at  last  he  thought 
that  he  was  M'ithin  hearing  distance.     He  shouted^  or 
thought  he  shouted ;  but  his  parched  throat  emitted  no 
sound  which  reached  his  own  ears. 

Three  Indians  were  quietly  seated  round  a  brisk  fire 
and  roasting  luscious  venison,  the  juice  of  which  falling  on 
the  live  embei's  produced  a  grateful  hissing  sound,  and 

emitted  a  savory  smell,  when  a  slight  cracking the 

snapping  of  a  dry  twig,  caught  their  attention  and 
awoke  their  suspicion.  With  one  simultaneous  bound 
they  spi'ung— one  with  ui)lifted  tomahawk— the  other 
two  with  raised  ])ows  ready  to  fling  their  deadly  arrows. 
But  they  dropped  tlieir  weapons,  when  they  ascer- 
tained what  object  stood  ])of()r(!  them.  It  was  Belleisle 
who,  with  imploring  gcisticulations,  made  appeals  to 
their  pity.     The  Indians  looked  at  each  other  wonder- 


RESCUE  OF  BELLEISLE. 


283 


i^gVj  ^^^  as  it  were,  in  rapid  consultation,  when  one 
of  them  beckoned  to  Belleisle,  inviting  him  to  approach 
the  fire  and  partake  of  their  fare.      There  they  re- 
mained encamped  until  he  could  walk,  and  then  they 
took  him  to  their  village,  where  he  was  kept  in  a  state 
of  servitude  during  eighteen  months.     lie  swept  the 
cabins  of  his  masters,  cleaned  their  weapons,  planted 
their  corn,  cooked  their  victuals,  and  performed  all  the 
other  services  of  a  menial.     A  severe  trial  he  had  of  it 
— the  half-starved  drudge  ! — the  overtasked  hewer  of 
wood  and  drawer  of  water  to  barbarian  tyrants !     At 
last  an  Indian  of  the  tribe  where  he  was  held  in  cap- 
tivity, stole  from  him  a  small  tin  box  which  his  masters 
had  permitted  him  to  retain,  and  which  contained  his 
commission  as  an  officer,  and  other  papers.     The  thief 
sold  the  box  to  a  member  of  ia-j  Assinais  tribe.    These 
Indians  lived  in  Texa^^,  not  far  from  the  French  settle- 
ment of  Natchitoches,  with  which  they  had  frequent  in- 
tercourse.    The  new  owner  of  the  box,  thinking  that 
it  might  be  valuable  to  his  white  neighbors,  and  thac 
he  might  sell  it  to  them  witli  advantage,  carried  it  to 
that  market,  where,  of  course,  it  attracted  attention, 
and  was  exhibited  to  St.  Denis,  the  commander  of 
Natchitoches.     It  gave  rise  to  inquiry,  and  St.  Denis, 
being  informed  of  the  melancholy  situation  of  one  of  his 
countrymen,  dispatclied  some  Indians  to  treat  for  the 
ransom  of  Belleisle,  who  Avas  safely  conducted  by  them 
to  Natchitoches. 

Such  were  all  the  remarkable  events  which  occurred 
in  1721. 

In  the  year  1722,  on  the  12th  of  March,  the  com- 
pany issued  an  ordinance  which  prohibited  the  inliabit- 
ants  of  Louisiana  from  selling  their  negroes,  for  trans- 
portation out  of  the  colony,  to  the  Spaniards,  or  to  any 
other  sul)jects  of  a  foreign  nation,  under  the  penalty 


it 

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I'M 


284       BIENVILLE'S  ARGUMENTS  IN  FAVOR  OF  NEW  ORLEANa 

of  a  fine  of  one  thousand  livres  and  confiscation  of  the 


negroes. 


On  the  20th  of  April,  Bienville  wrote  from  Fort  St 
Louis  at  Mol)ile,  to  the  French  government  an  interest" 
ing  communication  on  the  difliculties  attending  the  un- 
loading of  vessels  on  the  shores  of  Biloxi,  on  account  of 
the  shallowness  of  the  water ;  which  difficulties  he  rep- 
resented as  not  existing  in  the  Mississippi,     "I  have 
had  the  honor,"  said  he,  "  to  send  to  the  council  in  my 
last  letter  detailed  information  on  the  mouths  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  to  give  the  assurance  that  vessels  not 
drawing  more  than  thirteen  feet  Avater  could  go  over 
the  bar  with  full  sails  out,  without  risk  of  stranding. 
It  would  not  be  difficult  to  render  the  pass  practicable 
for  larger  ships,  because  the  bottom  consists  in  soft  and 
moving  mud.     I  would  have  already  done  so,  if  the  en- 
gineers who  are  intrusted  with  the  execution  of  the 
public  works  had  shared  my  opinion.     But  their  atten- 
tion is  engrossed  by  the  improvements  which  have  been 
attempted  at  Biloxi,  and  which  I  think  will  have  to  be 
abandoned.      Should  the  company  persist  in  sending 
their  vessels  to  Biloxi,  it  will  materially  retard  the  pro- 
gress of  the  colony,  and  will  expose  us  to  considerable 
expenses.     The  vessels  are  forced  to  stop  at  Ship  Island, 
which  is  fifteen  miles  from  the  main  '  ud  where  our 
settlement  is  situated.     To  unload  these  vessels,  we  are 
obliged  to  send  to  Ship  Island  i)acket-boats,  which, 
in  their  turn,  can  not  a]-»}u-oach  Biloxi   nearer  than 
two  miles  and  a  half     Then,  other  small   boats  are 
sent  to  unload  the  packet-boats,  and  these  boats,  small 
as  they  are,  strand  at  a  distance  of  carbine-shot  from 
the  shore.     This  statement  of  focts  ought  to  bo  suf- 
ficient to  convince  the  council  of  the  importance  to 
order  all  vessels  coming  from  France  to  enter  the  Mis- 
sissippi where  they  would  discharge  their  cargoes  in  two 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  NEWS  OF  LAW'S  DOWNFALL  285 

days.  I  assumed  the  responsi])ility  of  sending  thither 
two/Mfe.y  (small  vessels),  which  crossed  the  bar  with 
all  sails  set.  I  would  have  done  the  same  with  the 
other  vessels,  which  have  just  arrived,  if  we  had  not 
received  the  precise  order  of  unloading  them  at  Biloxi." 

It  is  really  astonishing  that,  in  s])ite  of  the  judicious 
and  self-evident  representations  of  Bienville,  backed  by 
the  physical  structure  of  the  country,  the  French  gov- 
ernment should  have  so  o>)stinately  and  for  so  many 
years  clung  to  the  bleak  and  worthless  shores  of  Biloxi, 
as  the  chief  settlement  of  Louisiana,  and  its  most  im- 
portant commercial  emporium.  But  there  is  very  little 
common  sense  to  be  discovered  in  the  administration 
of  most  colonies  by  the  mother  country,  and  particu- 
larly in  that  of  Louisiana  under  the  French  dominion. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  it  was  decreed  that  there 
should  be  in  the  Superior  Council,  five  councilors  in- 
stead of  four,  and  those  councilors  were,  Brusle, 
Fazende,  Perry,  Guilhet  and  Masclary. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  a  vessel  of  the  company  arrived 
with  another  band  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  Germans, 
commanded  by  the  Chevalier  d'Arensbourg,  a  Swedish 
ofiicer,  who  had  so  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle 
of  Pultawa,  that  he  had  been  presented  by  Charles  the 
Xllth  with  a  sword,  which  is  still  in  the  hands  of  his 
descendants  in  Louisiana.  This  vessel  brought  back  to 
the  colony  Marigny  de  Mandeville,  who,  in  1709,  it  will 
be  remembered,  had  joined  in  the  systematic  opposition 
made  to  Bienville  by  the  commissary  La  Salle  and  the 
Curate  de  la  Vente.  Marigny  had  obtained  in  France 
the  cross  of  St.  Louis  and  the  command  of  Fort  Conde 
at  Mobile. 

With  this  vessel  came  the  confirmation  of  the  utter 
discomfiture  of  Law,  and  of  the  ruin  and  desolation 
which  his  plans  and  banking  operations  had  generated 


1    h- 


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286 


M.  DE  CHASSIN'S  APPLICATION  FOR  A  WIFE 


'    II 


in  France.  It  produced  a  great  sensation  in  the  col- 
ony, because  the  inhabitants  were  afraid  of  being  left  to 
their  own  resources,  and  of  being  lost  sight  of,  on  ac- 
count of  the  general  distress  which  reigned  in  France, 
and  which  was  sufficient  to  absorb  all  the  attention  and 
resources  of  the  government.  Their  apprehensions, 
however,  were  not  immediately  realized  to  the  extent 
which  they  anticipated,  and  they  continued,  through 
part  of  the  year,  to  receive  some  further  supplies  and 
assistance.  On  the  15th  of  July,  Duvergier,  who  had 
been  appointed  directeur  ordonnateur  et  commandant  de 
la  nmrine,  landed  at  Pensacola,  bearing  crosses  of  St. 
Louis  to  Boisbriant,  to  St.  Denis,  and  to  Chateaugue, 
who,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  been  made  prisoner  at 
Pensacola  by  the  Spaniards,  when  they  retook  that 
place,  and  who  had  lately  been  exchanged. 

Although,  as  it  has  been  shown  in  the  course  of  these 
lectures,  many  importations  of  females  had  been  made, 
the  want  of  them  continued  to  be  sensibly  felt,  and  to 
be  a  subject  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  colonists. 
As  a  specimen  of  the  tone  and  manners  of  the  time,  I 
think  it  is  not  out  of  place  to  record  here  an  extract 
from  a  letter  addressed  on  that  subject  to  one  of  the 
king's  ministers  in  France,  by  one  M.  de  Chassin.     It 
bears  a  stamp  of  originality  which  is  quite  characteris- 
tic.     "You  see,  my  Lord,"  said  he,  "that  to  assure  the 
solidity  of  our  establishment  in  Louisiana,  there  is  but 
one   thing    wanting— a  sufficient  number  of  women. 
However,  woman  is  a  piece  of  furniture  which  many  re- 
pent of  having  introduced   into  their  household,  and 
without  which  I  shall  contrive  to  get  along  until,  as  I 
have  had  already  the  honor  to  inform  you,  the  com- 
pany shall  think  proper  to  send  us  girls  having  at  least 
some  appearance  of  virtue.     If  by  chance,  there  should 
be  among  your  female  acquaintances  one  disposed  to 


FAMINE  IN  THE  COLONY. 


287 


nsk  the  voyage  for  ray  sake,  I  should  certainly  be  great- 
ly under  her  obligation,  and  would  most  assuredly  do 
my  best  to  give  her  proofs  of  my  gratitude.'' 

This  M.  de  Chassin,  who  presumed  to  write  in  such 
a  style  of  ftxmiliarity  to  one  of  the  king's  ministers,  has 
left  no  other  trace  of  his  passage  in  Louisiana  than 
this  jocose  application  for  a  wife.  It  is  likely,  from  his 
name,  from  the  lightness  of  his  tone,  and  from  the  per- 
feet  ease  with  which  he  addresses  one  of  the  great  dig- 
nitaries of  the  kingdom,  that  he  was  a  scion  of  nobility 
who  had  been  invited  to  travel  to,  and  to  stay  in 
Louisiana,  until  his  morals  or  his  purse  should  have  re- 
covered from  the  effect  of  the  commission  of  youthful 
follies.  '' 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year,  the  supplies  which 
used  to  be  sent  from  Prance  became  more  scanty  on  ac- 
count of  the  disorderly  state  into  which  the  affairs  of 
the  company  were  falling.     Famine  made  again  its  ap- 
pearance in  the  colony,  as  it  had  frequently  done  be- 
fore, and  it  became  necessary,  from  the  want  of  pro- 
visions, to  quarter  some  of  the  troops,  in  small  squads, 
among  the  Indians,  and  to  scatter  the  rest  on  the  banks 
of  rivers,  where  they  lived  as  they  could,  on  fish  and 
game.     Twenty-six  soldiers  who  constituted  the  garri- 
son  of  Fort  Toulouse  among  the  Alibamons,  being  re- 
duced to  very  short  allowance,  and  suffering  too  acutely 
and  too  long  from  their  wants,  butchered  their  captam, 
Marchand,  and  with  their  arms  and  baggage  departed 
for  South  Carolina.     Villemont,  their  lieutenant,  who 
when  the  murder  of  Marchand  took  place  at  the  fort' 
•happened  to  be  absent,  and  whose  life  was  saved  from 
that  circumstance,  on  hearing  of  what  had   occurred 
made  an  appeal  to  the  Indians  as  friends  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  persuaded  them  to  pursue  with  him  the  re- 
bellious deserters.     They  soon  overtook  the  fugitives 


:    .     1 

1 

(1 

\ 

i 

i   ! 


fiiill 


1  'i. 

i'i 

i 

"  ■'  i     ■ 

■  ;i 

■  i 

;i;. 


Wv 


I  'I 


i  ■"■ 


I 


288 


PLAN  TO  WITHDRAW  FROM  CIRCULATION 


who,  knowing  tlie  fate  they  had  to  expect  if  they  sur- 
rendered,  fought  with  desperation,  and  were  killed  al- 
most  to  a  man. 

Fortunately,  toward  the  latter  part  of  September, 
the  colony  was  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  well 
stocked  with  provisions  and  ammunition.  It  Ijrought 
the  information  that  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  Regent  of 
France,  had  intrusted  the  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the 
eomi)any  to  three  Commissaries,  Ferrand,  Faget  and  Ma- 
chinet. 

The  distress  of  the  colony  was  increased  by  a  hurri- 
cane^ which  produced  the  most  extensive  damage,  and 
De  rOrme,  one  of  the  principal  agents  of  the  company 
who,  in  a  letter  of  the  aoth  of  October,  renders  an  ac- 
count of  the  effects  of  that  hurricane,  speaks  of  con- 
tmual  desertions  among  the  soldiers,  mechanics  and 
sailors,  and  recommends,  as  a  remedy  to  the  demoraliz- 
mg  mfluence  of  such  derelictions  of  duty,  to  allow,  on 
all  the  vessels  of  the  company,  free  passage  to  those  per- 
sons  who  might  be  disposed  to  return  to  France. 

The  paper  currency  of  the  colony  had  been  reduced 
to  such  a  state  of  discredit,  that  it  had  ceased  to  pass 
and  to  answer  its  purposes.     Hence  a  complete  cessation 
of  busuiess.     It  was  necessary  to  meet  that  evil,  and  the 
company  had  recourse  to  a  process  which  was  not  de- 
ficient in  ingeniousness,  whatever  may  be  said  of  its 
want  of  good  faith.     The  paper  currency  to  which  I 
allude,  consisted  in  notes  signed  and  issued  by  the  di- 
rectors of  the  company  in  France,  or  by  its  commanders, 
officers,  or  chief  agents  in  the  colony.     It  was  decreed 
that  all  these  note9  should  be  converted  into  cards',  to 
which  some  fair  promises  and  additional  privileges  were 
attached  to  give  them  value,  and  that  all  the  notes 
which  should  not  be  presented  at  certain  places  to  cer- 
tam  agents,  and  within  a  time  remarkably  short,  to  be 


THE  NOTES  OF  THE  COLONY,  289 

converted  into  ccmh^  as  desired,  should  become  null 
and  void  in  the  hands  of  the  bearers.  These  notes  be- 
mg  scattered  through  an  immense  extent  of  country 
many  could  not  be  brought  back,  partly  through  want 
ot  time  and  ])artly  through  carelessness  or  indifference 
and  became  thereby  extinct  according  to  the  decree! 
in  tins  way  a  consideral>le  i3ortion  of  the  company's 
aeht  was  liquidated  at  once. 

Sheep,  mild  as  they  are,  will  bleat  obstreperously 
when   they  are    sh(,>ared   too  close  by  the   shepherd ; 
and   the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  following  this  ex- 
ample, comi>lained   so   loudly  that,  by  an  ^ordinance 
issued  on  the  28tli  of  December,  they  were  authorized 
to  send  with  full  powers  an  agent  who  would  advocate 
and  (  efend  their  interests  before  the  Council  of  State 
by  which  the  affairs  of  th(3  company  were  to  be  taken 
into  consideration  and  adjudicated  u])on.     On  the  8th 
of  th(.  same  month,  the  Council  of  State  had  dispatched 
Saunoy  and  de  la  Chaise  to   Louisiana,  to  force  the 
agents  of  the  company  to  render  an  account  of  the  mer- 
chandise  sent  by  the  company,  and  of  the  goods  which 
had  been  delivered  to  those  agents  by  the  clerks  of 
Crozat,  when  the  comi)any  was  substituted  to  him  in 
the  government  of  the  province.     They  were  instructed 
to  depart  with  the  utmost  secrecy  and  speed,  to  show 
their  powers  to  the  Siijierior  Council,  on  their  arrival 
in  Louisiana,  then  immediately  to  repair  to  the  com- 
pany's warehouses,  to  take  possession  of  them,  and  to 
put  the  seals  on  all  the  jiapers  of  the  agents. 

Tlius  it  is  seen  that  tlu^  situation  of  affairs  was  gloomy 
enough.  To  make  it  Avorse,  the  Natchez  recommenced 
war  against  the  French.  They  murdered  three  of  their 
traders,  and  attacked  the  Kofhj  Phntatmi,  which  was 
situated  in   the   neighborhood  of  their  villages,  and 


i    1 

i  i 

1    1 1< 

f;        ' 

HP' 


M 


i! 


w 


200 


THE  SEAT  OP  GOVERNMENT 


p      il 


where  they  killed  a  man  and  destroyed  a  considerable 
number  of  cattle. 

The  three  commissaries,  Faf^et,  Machinet,  and  FeT* 
rand,  who  had  been  selected  by  the  Regent  to  assume 
the  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  company,  had  cer« 
tainly  l)een  appointed  to  no  sinecure.  They  had  to 
cope  with  the  discouragements  of  the  colonists,  who  were 
constantly  attempting  to  run  away  from  their  miseries 
— with  the  desertion,  the  insubordinr.tion,  and  rebel- 
lious disposition  of  the  troops — with  a  depreciated  paper 
currency,  heavy  debts,  hurricanes,  and  other  calamities 
— with  unfaithful  and  roguish  agents — with  the  spirit 
of  discord,  which  had  always  existed  among  the  offi  rs 
of  the  colony; — and  now,  in  addition  to  these  numerous 
perplexities,  they  were  threatened  with  a  war  from  the 
Natchez. 

The  three  new  commissaries,  Avho  had  assumed  the 
direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  company  of  which  they 
were  now  the  sole  administrators,  sanctioned  the  exe- 
cution of  two  projects  Avhicli,  for  a  long  while,  had  been 
favorite  conceptions  with  Bienville,  but  which  he  had 
never  been  permitted  to  carry  into  operation.  lie  was 
authorized  to  transfer  the  seat  of  government  to  New 
Orleans,  and  to  make  at  the  Arkansas  a  settlement,  the 
chief  object  of  Avhieh  was  to  establish  a  connecting  point 
between  the  Illinois  and  the  lower  part  of  the  colony, 
and  to  facilitate  the  introduction  of  horses,  mules,  and 
cattle  from  the  Spanish  provinces.  Bienville,  as  soon 
as  he  received  the  desired  authority,  ordered  La  Ilarpe, 
with  a  detachment  of  sixteen  men,  to  ascend  the  Ar- 
kansas River  as  far  up  as  possil)le,  to  make  an  accurate 
survey  of  the  country,  to  look  for  mines,  and  to  inform 
the  Spaniards  he  might  meet,  that  all  the  Ic^rritory 
watered  by  the  Arkansas  River,  from  its  source  down 


il 


«ailfSFERREI>  TO  HE^  ORLEANS. 


an 


to  its  mouth,  was  regarded  by  France  as  belonging  tO 
her,  in  consequence  of  the  possession  taken  of  it  by  T.a 
Salle  when  he  descended  the  Mississippi. 
Thus  closed  the  year  1722. 


I 


'    .   .   .  . 


Kli;:  Jli 


THIRD  LECTURE. 


Oeigin,   Customs,   Maxners,   Traditions,   and  Laws  of  the  NATcnKZ- DKCUNg 
OF  THAT  Tribe— Nl'muer  and  Power  of  the  Cuoctaws  and  Chickasaws. 

^  The  soil  of  the  colony  of  Louisiana  had  been,  from 
time  immemorial,  tenanted  by  an  infinite  number  of 
small  insignificant  Indian  tribes,  the  mere  recapitulation 
of  which  would  uselessly  occupy  more  than  one  page. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  they  had  a  very  similar  appear- 
ance, like  twins  fresh  from  the  womh  of  nature.     There 
were,  it  is  true,  some  differences  in  their  dialects— some 
varieties  in  their  customs,  laws,  and  manners— merging, 
however,  in  the  same  uniformity  of  savage  existence^and 
of  confirmed  barbarism.     In  the  dark  twilight  of  un- 
civilized  ignorance  in  which  they  lived,  the  distinctive 
shades  existing  between  their  moral,  intellectual,  and 
physical  features  were  hardly  perceptil)le,  and  are  cer- 
tainly not  of  sufficient  importance  to  attract  the  notice 
and  to  call  foi-  the  investigation  of  the  historian.     Be 
minimis  7ion  curat  liiMovia.     But  an  exception  is  to  be 
made  in  favor  of  the  three  most  important  nations  of 
that  country,  on  account  of  tlieir  num])ers    of  their 
power,  and   of  the  considerable  and  direct  influence 
which  they  exei-cised  over  the  destinies  of  the  colony. 
These  nations  are  the  Natchez,  the  Choctaws,  and  the 
Chic' 


ucasaws. 


In  1722,  the  Natchez  could  bring  into  the  fie 


hundred  warriors.     The  time,  how 


Id 


six 


ever,  was  not  far  dis- 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  NATCHEZ  TRIBE  OF  INDIANS. 


293 


tant,  when  they  could  have  set  on  foot  four  thousand 
able-bodied  men.      But   from   different   causes   acting 
with  frightful  rapidity,  their  population  had  been  dwin- 
dling away,  and  they  seemed  to  ])e  incompetent  to 
arrest  the  gradual  destruction  of  their  race.     If  vague 
and  indistinct  tradition  is  to  be  believed,  the  cradle  of 
the  Natchez  nation  was  somewhere  near  the  sun,  whence 
they  came  to  Mexico ;  which  country  wa.s  their  resting- 
place  for  some   centuries.      But  they  were  probably 
driven  from  it  in  consequence  of  civil  wars  in  which 
they  were  defeated.     Some  of  the  depositaries  of  their 
legendary  lore  even  said  that  their  nation  had  been  one 
of  those  that  aided  Cortez  in  oa  erthrowing  the  empire 
of  Montezuma.     But  soon  perceiving  that  the  Spaniards 
wero  disposed  to  exercise  over  them  a  tyranny  worse 
than  the  one  from  which  they  had  sought  to  escape  by 
breaking  the  power  of  the  great  Aztec  emperor  to 
whom  they  were  subjected,  they  determined  to  seek 
another  clime,  where  they  might  enjoy  in  peace  and  in 
perfect  freedom  their  ancient  nationality.     They  fol- 
lowed the  rising  sun  from  east  to  west,  and  came  to 
those  beautiful  hills  in  Louisiana,  which  they  selected 
for  their  new  home.     In  those  days,  the  country  which 
they  occupied  extended  from  Manehac  to  Wabash,  and 
they  could  boast  of  five  hundred  Suns,  or  members  of 
the  royal  fimily.     Now,  in  1722,  they  were  confined  to 
a  contracted  territory  and  to  a  few  villages,  the  princi- 
pal of  which  wjis  situated  three  miles  from  Fort  Eosalie, 
on  a  small  water-course,  at  the  distance  of  about  two 
miles  and  a  half  from  the  Mississij)pi.     The  other  vil- 
lages were  within  a  short  distance  of  the  principal  one, 
where  resided  the  sovereicfn. 

Their  government  was  a  perfect  Asiatic  despotism. 
Their  sovereign  was  st}led  the  Great  Sun,  and  on  his 
death,  it  was  .ustomary  to  immolate  in  his  honor  a  con- 


■  f  ■ 


'   [l 


llii 


Ml 


294 


PERSONAL  APPEARANCE  OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


E  p! 


siderable   number  of  his  subjects.     The  subordinate 
chiefs  of  the  royal  blood  were  called  Little  Sims,  and 
when  they  also  paid  the  inevitable  tribute  due  to  na- 
ture, there  was,  according  to  their  dignity  and  the  esti- 
mation they  were  held  in,  a  proportionate  and  volun- 
tary sacrifice  of  lives.     The  poor  ignorant  barbarians, 
who  thus  died  for  their  princes,  did  it  cheerfully,  be- 
cause they  were  persuaded  that,  by  escorting  them  to 
the  world  of  spirits,  they  would,  in  i-ecompense  for  their 
devotion,  be  entitled  to  live  in  eternal  youth  and  bliss, 
suffering  neither  from  cold,  nor  from  heat,  hunger,  thirst, 
or  disease,  and  rioting  in  the  full  gratification  of  all  their 
tastes,  desires,  and  passions.     These  frequent  hecatombs 
of  human  beings  were  one  of  the  causes,  it  is  said,  which 
contributed  to  a  rapid  dimiuutioi'.  of  that  race.     But  as 
this  sanguinary  custom  appears  to  have  l)een  very  an- 
cient, and  almost  coeval  with  their  formation  into  na- 
tional existence,  how  is  it  that  they  should  ever  have 
swelled  up  to  be  such  a  powerful  and  numerous  tribe 
as  they  are  represented  to  have  been  at  one  time  ?     It 
is  alledged  that  the  other  causes  of  destruction  were, — a 
state  of  constant  warfare,  the  prevalence  of  affections 
of  the  chest  or  lungs  in  the  winter,  and  the  invasion  of 
the  small-pox. 

The  Natchez  were  of  a  light  mahogany  complexion, 
with  jet-black  hair  and  eyes.  Their  features  were  ex- 
tremely regular,  and  their  expression  was  intelligent, 
open  and  noble.  They  were  tall  in  stature,  very  few 
of  them  being  under  six  feet,  and  the  symmetry  of  their 
well-proportioned  limbs  was  remarkable.  TJie  smallest 
Natchez  that  was  ever  seen  by  the  French,  was  five  feet 
in  height :  considering  himself  a  dwarf,  and,  therefore, 
an  object  of  contumely,  he  always  kejit  himself  con- 
cealed. Their  whole  frame  presented  a  beautiful  de- 
velopment of  the  muscles,  and  meu  were  not  seen 


THEIR  IMPLEMENTS  AND  WEAPONS. 


295 


amonc:  them,  either  overloaded  with  flesh,  or  almost 
completely  deprived  of  this  necessary  appendage  to  the 
human  body— no  bloated,  tat-bellied  lump  of  mortality 
contrasting  in  ])o]d  lelief  with  a  thin  and  lauk  would-be 
representative  of  a  man.     The  sight  was  never  afflicted 
by  the  appearance  of  a  hunchback  jr  some  other  equally 
distorted  wretch,  such  as  are  so  often  observed  among 
the  European  race.     In  common  with  all  the  aborigines 
of  Louisiana,  they  were  flnt-headed—which  v/as  a  pecu- 
liar shape  they  liked,  and  into  which  they  took  care  to 
mold  the  skulls  of  their  oll^^pring  when  in  their  infancy. 
The  women  were  not  as  good-looking  as  the  men,  and 
were  generally  of  the  middle  size.    ^The  inferiority  of 
the  female  sex  to  the  male,  with  regard  to  the  beauty 
of  personal  ap})earance,  is  a  remarka])le  fact  among  all 
the  Indian  tribes,  and  is,  no  doul)t,  to  be  attributed  to 
the  state  of  degradation  in  whicli  their  Avomen  are  kept, 
and  to  the  painful  labors  to  which  they  are  subjected.  ' 
^  The  Natchez  had  shown  a  good  deal  of  acute  inven- 
tion in  providing  themselves  with  all  the  implements 
necessary  to  their  wants.     To  cut  down  timber,  they 
had  flint  axes  ingeniously  contrived,  and  to  sever  flesh, 
either  raw  or  cooked,  they  had  knives  made  up  of  a 
peculiar  kind  of  keen-edged  reed,  called  conchac.    They 
used  for  their  bows  the  Acacia  wood,  and  their  bow- 
strings were  made  either  with  the  barks  of  trees  or  the 
skins  of  animals.     Their  arrows,  made  of  reed,  were 
winged  with  the  feathers  of  birds,  and  when  destined 
to  kill  buffaloes,  or  deer,  their  points  were  armed  with 
sharp  i)ieces  of  bone,  and  particularly  of  flsh-bone.    Thf 
Natchez  understood  the  art  of  dressing,  or  preparing 
bufi^alo,  <lGer  and  beaver  skins,  and  those  of  other  ani- 
mals,^ so  as  to  provide  themselves  with  very  comfortable 
clothing  for  the  winter,  and  they  ust>(I,  as  awls  for  sew- 
iog,  email  tliiu  boues,  which  they  took  from  the  leg»  of 


i     !1  V 


1 

f 

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i 

1): 

i 
'1' 

i 

■ 

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1 

i;; 

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1 

!  1 :  ■ '  ■ 

1 

'■■'  ■■■: 

'  i 

i    I 


"i 

■i' 

■    - 

! 

1 

-. 

296 


THEIR  nUILDINOS  AND  MANUFACTURES. 


h  i 


m 


I  U  If 


herons.     Their  liuts  were  made  of  rude  materials,  such 
as  rouirh  timhcr  and  a  comhiuation  of  mud,  sand,  and 
Spanish  moss  worked  to<i;'etli('r  into  a  solid  sort  of  mor- 
tar and  formini,'  their  walls,  to  which  tlicy  (rave  a  thick- 
ness of  four  inches.     The   roofs  w(;re  of  intei-mingh>d 
grass  and  ret>ds,  so  skillfully  put  together,  that  these 
roofs  would  last  twenty  years  without  leaking.     The 
huts  Avere  scjuare,  an.d  usually  measui-ed  tifteen  feet  by 
fifteen;— s  )ine,  howevei-,  such  as  those  of  the  chiefs,  had 
thirty  ixx't  sijuare,  and  evini  more.     They  had  no  other 
aperture,  for  (>givss  or  ingress,  or  for  admitting  light, 
than  a  door  which  generally  was  two  feet  wide  by  four 
in  height.     The  iVanies  of  the  beds  of  the  Natchez, 
which  I'ose  two  feet  from  the  iloor,  were  of  Avood,  but 
the  inside  was  a  soft  and  elastic  texture  of  plaited  or 
weaved  up  reeds:  and  those  unsophisticated  sons  of  na- 
ture liad,  to  r(>st  during  the  day,  nothing  but  hard  and 
low  wooden  si^ats,  Avith  no  backs  to  lean  against. 

^Their  agriculture,   Ix'foi-c    they  became    acc^uainted 
with  the  French,  who  taught  them  the  use  of  wheat 
and  floui-,  was  limited  to  tlu"  cultivation  of  corn,  which 
they   knew  Iioav  to  grind   with  a  wooden   apparatus. 
Their  women  had  arrived  at  consideralile  ])roflciency  in 
the  manufacturing  of  earth(>nwai-e,  and  they  made  all 
sorts  of  pots,  pitchei's,  bottles,  bowls,  dishes  and  plates 
bearing  designs,   among   which   it   is   i)retended  that 
Grecian  letters  and  IIe))rew  characters  are  plaiidy  to  be 
discovercMl.     Their  crockei'y  was  generally  of  a  reddish 
color.     Tluy  also  excel  1(m1  in  making  sieves,  bottles,  and 
winnowing  fans.     With  the  bark  of  the  linden  or  lime- 
tree,  they  made  veiy  beautiful  lu-ts  to  cjitch  birds  or 
fish.     They  knew  how  to  dye  skins  in  several  colors,  of 
which  those  they  liked  best  were  the  white,  the  yellow, 
the  red,  and  the  black,  and  their  taste  was  to  use  them 
in  alternate  btripea.    Thy  «klns  thus  dyud,  particulurly 


THEIR  COSTUME. 


297 


that  of  the  porcupine,  tliey  embroidered  with  consider- 
able art,  and  the  drawiugf^  were  somewhat  of  a  gothic 
character.  Tliey  also  made  bed-coverings  and  cloaka 
with  the  l)ark  of  the  mulberry-tree,  and  with  the 
feathers  of  tui-keys,  ducks,  and  geese.  Like  the  other 
Indians,  the  Natchez  had  not  carried  very  far  the 
science  of  navigation,  and  to  cross  rivers,  they  had  im- 
agined to  scoop  the  tnmks  of  trees,  Avhich  they  shaf)ed 
into  caiiDCS.  Some  of  their  largest  canoes  measured 
forty  feet  in  length  by  four  in  'ddtli :  the:  •  were  gen- 
erally made  to  carry  twelve  persons,  an(l  were  exceed- 
ingly light.  These  boats  Avere  pi''^p"11  jd  by  the  means 
of  })a<l(lles  six  feet  long. 

During  the  summer,  men  and  women  were  always 
half  naked  and  bare-footed,  except  when  traveling. 
Then  they  would  wear  shoes  made  of  the  skin  of  deer. 
For  ornaments,  they  wore  rings  or  painted  bones  through 
their  ears  and  noses,  and  in  the  sha])e  of  bracelets  round 
their  arms  and  legs.  Tluy  were  also  very  fond  of 
painted  glass-l)eads,  which  they  interwove  in  their  hair, 
or  carried  round  their  necks  in  the  shape  of  collars,  to 
which  they  added  the  teeth  of  alligators,  or  the  claws 
of  wild  beasts.  These  same  painted  ghiss-beads  they 
also  used  in  ornamenting  their  leather  garments,  and 
they  composed  with  them  fanciful  embroideries.  The 
vermilion  with  which  they  painted  their  bodies  was 
one  of  their  favorite  embellishments,  tog  ther  with  the 
hieroglyphic  figures,  or  crude  heraldic  devices,  which 
they  used  to  impregnate  in  their  skins  from  head  to  foot. 
On  their  being  acquainted  with  those  small  bells  with 
v/hich  mules  are  decorated,  they  became  very  fond  of 
laving  them  about  their  persons  in  as  great  profusion 
fts  they  could,  and  \v.»re  delighted  with  the  merry  ring- 
ing which  attend;  a  the  slightest  of  their  motions. 
They  shaved  the  back  pui't  of  their  heads  ia  the  maa- 


I  ¥■ 


i    .   :;;7'I5' 


Hn 


'1  '} 

i      J 

i 


298 


EDUCATION  OF  THE 


r   I 


^  f 


1  f  rf  1  .1.    j    f  1 


!{ 


ner  practiced  by  the  religious  orders  among  the  Roman 
Catholics,  leaving  in  the  midst  of  the  crown  five  or  six 
locks  of  hair,  wherewith  to  tie  feathers.     The  rest  of 
the  hair  was  clipped  round,  fiiar-like,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  long  twisted  tuft  which  was  left  dangling  down 
on  the  left  shoulder,  and  at  the  extremity  of  which 
feathers  were  fastened  on  feast  days.    The  sovereign 
wore  round  the  head  a  net-work  of  black  thread,  to 
which  adhered  a  diadem  of  white  feathers  eight  inches 
in  height  on  the  forehead,  and  dwindling  down  to  four 
behind.    It  was  surmounted  by  a  tuft  of  fur,  out  of  which 
shot  up  a  small  crest  of  horse-hair,  one  inch  and  a  half 
in  height,  and  painted  red  :— it  had  a  picturesque  effect. 
As  soon  as  a  child  was  born,  the  mother  rose  up,  and 
going  to  the  next  stream,  washed  it  thoroughly.     Then 
Bhe  came  back  to  her  hut,  and  placed  the  child  in  its 
cradle,  which  was  usually  two  feet  and  a  half  long,  by 
eight  or  nine  inches  in  width,  and  six  inches  in  height. 
This    cradle   made   of  reeds   was   very  light,  hardly 
weighing  two  pounds,  and  was  always  placed  on  the 
very  bed  of  the  mother,  so  that  she  might  conveniently 
nurse  her  child.     The  motion   of  the  cradle  was  not 
sideways,  as  of  those  used  by  Europeans,  and  which 
must  produce  the  unpleasant  sensation  experienced  in  a 
ship  rolling  at  sea,  but  forward  and  back\vard  like  one 
of  our  modern  rocking-chairs.     The  most  watchful  ma- 
ternal care  was  bestowed  upon  the  children,  who  were 
never  allowed    to    stand   on    their  legs  before  they 
were  strong  enough  to  make  the  attempt  without  too 
much  effort,  and  they  were  allowed  free  access  to  their 
milk  diet  from  the  parental   breast  as  long  as  they 
pleased,  unless  the  mother's  health,  or  her  peculiar  situ- 
ation,  should  have  prevented  its  continuance.     Every 
day,  they  were  rubbed  with  oil,  to  render  their  limbs 


iisittiaiiii 


!i|{fi!lf 


NATCHEZ  CHILDREN. 


299 


more  flexible,  and  to  prevent  the  bites  of  flies  or  mos- 
quitoes. 

When  boys  reached  their  twelfth  year,  they  were 
committed  to  the  charge  of  the  oldest  man  of  their  re- 
spective families,  who  was  called  "  tlie  Ancient:'    He 
undertook  to  superintend  their  education,  and  to  im- 
part to  them  all  necessary  knowledge  and  desired  qual- 
ifications.    Under  his  tuition,  they  learned  to  swim,  to 
run,  to  jump,  to  wrestle,  and  to  practice  with  the  bow 
or  other  weapons,  and  they  received  from  his  lips  those 
moral  lessons  or  precepts  which  were  to  regulate  their 
behavior,  Avhen  they  should  be  grown  into  manhood. 
A  bunch  of  hay,  as  big  as  the  fist,  was  generally  put  at 
the  top  of  a  stick,  as  a  target  at  which  they  shot  with 
their  arrows.     The  most  successful  carried  the   prize, 
and   received  the    praise   which   the   ancient  usually 
awarded  him :  and  as  a  pre-eminent  distinction,  he  was 
styled  the  Young  Warrior.    The  next  one  in  skill  was 
called  the  A2yprentic6  Warrior.     It  is  to  be  remarked 
that  blows  were  never  given  to  boys  as  a  corrective, 
but  only  moral  means  were  resorted  to,  and  appeals 
were  made  to  their  feelings  of  pride  or  of  shame.     The 
most  profound  respect  was  paid  to  the  oldest  member 
of  every  family— to  the  ancient,  whose  decisions  were 
supreme,  and  received  with  the  most  implicit  obedience. 
Thus  the  head  of  a  family  was  called  father  by  all  its 
members,  however  distant  their  blood  relations  might 
have  been  to  him:  and  whenever  these  Indians  meant 
to  speak  of  him  from  whom  they  really  derived  their 
existence,  they  used  to  say,  my  true  fatlier,  in  contra- 
distinction  to  the  word  fatlier  applied  to  the  chief  of 
the  family.     In  old  times,  a  similar  respect  was  paid  by 
our  Caucasian  race  to  the  experience  and  dignity  of 
age,  but  now  it  is  a  custom,  the  breach  of  which  m 
much  more  faithfully  adhered  to  than  the  observance. 


'    ■'!-.  fii; 


,i     :;  ..It 


:!-;  ; 


\\ 

i\ 

<■ 

1 

1!- 

I 

ill; 

300 


TRADITIONS  AND  LANGUAGE 


I'*'  'IT  ■ 


When  three  years  old,  the  children  of  botli  sexes 
were  every  morning,  snnini(>r  or  winter,  taken  to  some 
stream  to  bathe  in,  and  in  this  way  they  learned  liow 
to  swim,  and  at  the  same  time  tliey  fortified  their  l)odie3 
so  aa  to  endnre  with  ease  the  hardships  to  wliioh  they 
would  be  exposed  in  the  course  of  their  lives.     But  as 
it  is  the  cjise  with  all  the  Indians  of  North  America, 
the  men  were  educated  to  l)e  only  Avarnors  and  hunters, 
and  the  women  to  do  all  the  A\ork  and  drudgery  which 
were  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  their  own  existence 
and  that  of  the  lordly  sex  which  kept  them  sunk  down 
in  a  state  of  profound  inferiority.     In  one  thing,  how 
ever,  they  were  sujjcrior  to  more  civilized  nations- 
quarrels  and  fights  were  exceedingly  rare  among  them. 
The  penalty  for  such  transgressions  was  to  live  for  a 
certain  time  in  utter  seclusion,  apart  from  the  rest  of  the 
tribe,  the  culprits  being  considered  as  having  forfeited 
their  character,  and  as  Ixing  unworthy  of  associating 
with  decent  and  respectable  peoj>le.     The  fear  of  the 
infliction  of  such  a  disgrace  had  always  proved  to  be  a 
very  effective  preventive.     In  fact,  the  education  which 
the  Natchez  received  made  them  so  cautious  of  tres- 
passing on  each  other's  rights,  that  the  few  penal  laws 
which  existed  among  them  had  seldom  to  be  enforced. 
As  they  were  ignorant  of  the  art  of  writing,  their 
history  consisted  in  ti-adition  handed  down  from  one 
generation  to  another ;  but  in  order  to  secure  to  it  as 
much  authenticity  as  possible,  a  certain  number  of  their 
most  intelligent,  discreet,  and  trustworthy  young  men 
were  selected  to  be  educated  in  the  knowledge  of  their 
traditionary  lore,  which  they  were  taught  and  sworn  to 
respect  as  sacred,  to  preserve  with  religious  fidelity,  and 
to  transmit  in  their  turn  to  their  successors,  with  exact 
minuteness.    They  were  called  the  repomtories  of  the 
wke  of  tJi^ ^a^t^  of  th ancient  word-  and  from  time  to 


;«  ,: 


OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


301 


time  they  were  requested  to  recite  before  the  old  men 
of  the  nation  what  liad  been  deposited,  and  waa  to  be 
treasui-ed  up  in  tlieir  memory,  in  order  that  it  might  be 
ascertained  whether  they  woukl  make  themselves  guilty 
either  of  omissions  arising  fi-om  design,  oblivion,  indif- 
ference, and  carelessness,  or  of  additions  and  interpo- 
lations proceeding  from  the  exuberance  of  fancy,  or 
from  tile  pruriency  of  invention.  This  shows  a  respect 
for  historical  truth  which  can  not  be  too  highly  com- 
mended, and  which  ought  to  be  set  up  as  an  exam])le 
deserving  of  imitation  by  our  modern  recorders  of 
events. 

The  Natchez  had  two  languages  ;— which  peculiarity 
existed  also  among  the  Peruvians.  One  was  called  the 
vulgar,  that  is,  the  diah-ct  reserved  for  the  common 
people,  who  were  permitted  to  speak  no  other.  The 
other  one  was  used  altogether  by  the  nobles  and  by 
the  Avonu^n.  Both  these  languages  were  said  to  be  very 
rich,  and  had  no  affinity  to  each  other.  For  instance 
he  who^  would  have  wished  to  bespeak  the  attention  of 
a  plebeian,  would  have  said  "  aquenan,''  listen,  and  to 
anolile,  "w?^/</r^7//,"  which  has  exactly  the  same  mean* 
ing;  to  a  plebeian,  'Hachte  cahanacte^'  is  it  thou?  and 
to  a  noble,  "  (qmpe-govya-u'he  ;"  to  a  plebeian,  "■  ■petchl^^ 
ait  down,  and  to  a  noble,  "  cahamy  In  the  language 
of  the  vulgar,  "  cou-stlne''  signified  ^spirit,  and  "  tchlte'" 
meant  r/mtt.  In  the  language  of  the  nobles,  the  word 
''coyoco2)''  meant  qyirit,  and  ''cligwy  great.  These 
examples  are  sufficient  to  show  the  want  of  analogy 
which  existed  between  these  two  languages.  The  avo- 
men,  as  I  have  already  said,  spoke  the  language  of  the 
nobles,  but  with  an  affected  and  quaint  pVonunciation, 
totidly  different  from  that  of  the  men.  The  French, 
who  associated  more  with  the  women  than  with  the 
other  sex,  had  taken  their  pronunciation;  which  cip- 


!M 


% 


ill 


i 

j 

.1 

>5 

i 

\ 

1:  .1 

J.   ,i 


302 


THKiii  UKLinimrs  heltkk 


I 


♦  !ill  il 


cumstiuicc  in-ovokod  a  rol)uk('  uddi'f'Hscd  toono  of  them 
by  a  Natchez  ina.i,ni!it(' :  "  Slnoe  thou  hast  tho  j)roten- 
810I1  to  1)0  a  man,"  said  tho  olii«'f  to  the  Frcuohiuan, 
"why  dost  tluHi  lisj)  like  a  woman?" 

The  Natchez  l)cli<'vcd  in  a  Suj)rcme  Creator  of  the 
miiverse,an(l  tliey  desii^natcd  him  by  thenamo  of  (k)yo. 
copchik',  wliicli  mcjiiit,  ('oijooop^  .s-pirit ;  chile,  infinitehj 
giraf.      They  thoni^dit  tliat,  as  they  exi)i-essed  "it,  "  all 
theymw,  all  theij  m'ujM  m\  and  all  they  wire  not  able  to 
,svv,"  ])rocoe(hHl  from  him— tliat    iie  was  so  ^'ood  and 
kind  that  lio  couhl  not  do  harm  if  he  wisluul ;  tluit 
mere  conception  and  volition  on  his  part  had  heen  suf- 
ficient to  _i>:enerate  every  thiuir;  thjit  there  werci  how- 
ever subordinate    spirits,  called    Coyocm  feehou,,   who 
were  ])erpetually  standiuij:  i>i  his  piv.sence,  and  implicitly 
oLeyinii:  liis  mandates  like   slaves;    that  eveiy   thinn- 
which  was  bad  and  calamitous  in  this  world  was  ])ro- 
duced  by  evil  sj)irits  as  invisible  jus  the  air  in  which 
tliey  lived  ;  that  these  evil  sjMrits  fornu>rly  had  a  chief 
wlio  worked  so  much  mischief,  that  the  (rreat  Spirit 
had  chained  him  in  a  dark  cell,  sincu  which  time  the 
evil  spij-its,  his  sul)j(>cts,  were  not  so  constantly  Ixsnt 
upon  doing  injury,  i)articularly  when  they  Averts  soft- 
eni'd  by  resp(>ctfid  i)rayers.      Whenever  the  Natchez 
wished  for  rain  t)r  fair  weather,  the}-  had  recourse  to 
fasting,  and    frtHpiently  on    such    occasions  their  sov- 
ereign, the  (Treat  Sun,  would,  during  nine  consecutive 
days,  iibstain  from  meat  and  Hsh,  and  live  altogether 
on  a  little  ])t)iled  corn,     lie  Avould  also  take  particular 
care,  during  all  that  time,  to  liave  no  intercourse  of 
any  kind  with  his  wives.     The  Natchez  believed  in  a 
deluge  which  had  destroyed  mankind  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few  people,  who  had  taken  refugee  on  a  high 
mountain,  and  who  had  repeopled  the  earth. 
According  to  the  religious  creed  of  the  Natchez,  the 


THKIR  FIRST  UULP:R  AND  LAWOIVER. 


303 


Great  Spirit  hud  molded  tlu;  first  man  out  of  tbe  same 
kind  ofcluy  with  which  they  made  their  crockery,  and 
beiu<r  satisfied  with  his  work,  had  breatlied  life' into 
it.  As  to  woman,  they  did  not  know  exactly  how  sho 
liad  ))eeu  created.  There  were  various  traditions  on 
this  sul)j(ict.  On(^  of  them  reported  that  a  short  time 
after  the  fii-st  man  was  f,'ifted  witli  existence,  he  was 
taken  with  a  violent  fit  of  sneeziui,',  when  something  in 
tlie  shai)e  of  a  woman,  as  l)i<,'  as  tJie  thumb,  bolt.MlfVom 
his  n(,se,  and  on  fallini,'  on  the  ground,  kept  on  dancing 
vyith  extreme  velocity  until  it  grew  into  the  prijsen't 
size  of  tin;  fttmale  s«;x. 

Many  centuries  before  the  Natchez  came  to  the  banks 
of  the  :Mississij)pi,  they  were  living  in  a  condition  of 
almost  ))i-utisji  ignorance,  when  there  appeared  amcmg 
them  a  nuin  and  a  woman  who  had  descended  from  the 
sun.  Tlicy  wviv.  clothed  all  over  with  light,  and  looked 
so  da//lingly  briglit  that  no  human  eye  could  long 
dwell  upon  their  foi-ms.  This  man  told  them  that  from 
the  realms  of  the  sun  he  had  seen  that  they  were  the 
miserable  victims  of  anarchy,  because  they  had  no  mas- 
ter, and  ditl  not  know  how  to  govern  th(  mselves,  while 
every  one  of  them,  although  iiica])able  of  self-govern- 
ment, thought  that  ho  was  competent  to  rule  over  the 
rest  of  his  race.  Wherefore,  he  had  taken  the  deter- 
mination to  come  down  u[)on  earth  to  teach  the  Natchez 
how  to  live.  His  moral  i)recepts  were  few  in  number, 
and  suited  to  the  circuniMtances  of  the  ])eoi)le  he  in- 
tended to  legislate  for.  The  most  important  ones  were, 
not  to  kill  any  human  being  except  in  self-defense ;  to 
be  satisfied  with  the  possession  of  one's  wife,  and  not  to 
covet  that  of  any  other  man ;  never  to  tell  a  lie  ;  never 
to  be  inebriated ;  and  never  to  take  the  property  of 
another.     He  also  strongly  recommended  generosit^ 


i 

I  i 

1 

i 

'  r ' 

■  i^ ' 

1 1 

•l  ■   t  ■'  '1<,  i 


I'U: 


"i  ! 


;1vl: 


304 


THE  LAWS  OP  THE 


;n 


f'ilt 


clijirity,  and  the  distribution  of  one's  goods  among  the 
deHtituto. 

'lliis   man  spoko  Avitli  such  authority  tluit  he  pro- 
duccd  tlie  deepest  iuipresnion  on  tlie  Natdiez.     While 
he  was  reposiiiir  vritli  liis  wife  in  tlie  liut  to  whicli  they 
had  conducted  liini,  the  old  men  of  that  nation  met  in 
a  solemn  conclave!  in  tlu;  dead  of  the  niirlit,  and  the 
next  morninuf  they  went  in  great  ceremony   to    the 
wondeiful  stranger  to  ])ropos('  to  him  to  be  their  sov- 
ereign,    lie  relns(Hl  at  first,  saying,  lie  knew  he  would 
not  be  obeyed,  and  that,  much  to  his  regret,  this  want 
of  obedience  would  be  death  to  all  the  Natchez     But 
yielding  at  last  to  repeated  solicitations,  he  accepted 
on  the   following  conditions :  that  the  Natchez  Avould 
emigi-ate  to  a  better  countiy,  Avhich  he  would  i)oint  out 
to  them  ;  that  they  would  live  sti-ictly  according  to  the 
laws  to  be  establi  died  by  him,  and  that  their  sovei-eigns 
would  forever  be  of  his  race.     "  If  I  have,"  said  he, 
"any  male  and  female  issue,  there  shall  be  no  inter' 
marriage;  among  them,  they  ]>eing  brothers  and  sisters. 
But  they  shall  be  i)ermltted  to  wed  from  the  bulk  of 
the   people.     The   fii-st-born  of  my  sons  shall  be  my 
successor,  and  then  the  son  of  his  eldest  daughter,  or  in 
case  he  should  have  no  daughter,  the  son  of  his  eldest 
sister,  or  in  his  default,  the  eld(;st  son  of  the  nearest  fe- 
male relation  of  the  sovereign,  and  so  on  in  perpetuity." 
Then  he  went  into  the  minutest  details  concerning 
the  laws  of  succession  to  the  throne,  and  provided  for 
all  ])ossible  contingencies.     He  called  <\:A^\\  'ire  from 
the  sun,  and  ordered  that  it  should  be  eternally  kept 
up  with  walnut  wood,  strip])cd  of  its  bark,  in  two  tem- 
ples, to  be  built  at  the  two  farthest  extremities  of  the 
country  to  be  occupied  by  the  Natch(>z.     According  to 
.1  is  instructions,  a  body  of  eight  men  was  selected  out 
>f  t!ie  nation  as  ministers  or  i)riests  for  each  temple. 


FIRST  Ul/LKR. 


305 


Their  duty  was  to  watch  in  tnm  the  sacred  fire,  and  on 
Its  being  extingu-.hed,  the  guardian  tlien  on  tlie  watch 
wjis  to  l)e  punislied  with  death.  The  mysterious  law. 
giver  that  had  come  from  tlie  sun,  predicted  the  most 
awful  calamities  to  the  Natchez,  if  the  sacred  fire  was 
ever  allowed  to  go  out  entirely  in  both  temples. 
Should  It  l,e  extinguished  in  one,  the  guardians  were  to 
religJit  It  l)y  hurrying  to  the  other  temjile.  But  they 
were  not  to  he  allowed  to  borrow  the  sacred  fire  peace- 
ably.  1  hey  were  to  fight  for  the  holy  spark,  and  were 
not  to  carry  it  away  before  shedding  blood  in  the  con- 
test,  on  the  floor  of  the  temple,  as  a  sort  of  propitiatory 
oltenng  to  the  evil  spirits. 

Implicit  o])edience  was  sworn  to  all  the  mandatory 
dLspositions  of  the  new  sovereign,  and  he  signified  that 
he  wished  to  be  called  'VAc',"  which  meant  ^^theer     He 
lived  to  very  old  age,  saw  the  children  of  his  grand- 
children, and  was  the  author  of  all  the  institutions 
which  prevailed  among  the  Natchez,  until  that  nation 
was  destroyed.     He  certainly  was,  in  the  most  emphatic 
sense  of  the  word,  their  supreme  legislator,  their  Ly- 
curgus.     After  his  death  his  children  were  called  sum 
on  account  of  their  origin.     He  established  no  sacrifices! 
no  libations,  no  offerings.     The  only  worship  which  he 
prescribed,  if  it  can  be  so  called,  was  the  keeping  of  the 
sacred  fire,  and  one  of  the  first  duties  of  the  Great  Sun 
was  to  watch  over  the  strict  fulfillment  of  this  charge 
and  to  visit  one  of  the  temples  every  day  for  this  pur- 
pose. ^ 

The  Natchez  had  great  national  festivals,  which  partook 
of  a  religious  and  political  character.  These  festivals 
were  religious  in  one  sense,  as  being  instituted  with  the 
object  of  returning  thanks  to  the  Creator  for  his  manifold 
benefits;  and  they  were  also  essentially  of  a  political 
nature,  as  they  were  the  only  sources  of  the  revenue  of 


"^ 

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1 

i 

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f :.:, 


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■  1  \ 


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50^ 


DIVISION  OF  THE  MONTHS, 


'     i 


tlie  sovereign ;  because,  altliough  despotic  in  his  author- 
ity, and  the  absohite  master  of  the  lives  and  property 
of  his  subjects,  he  never  imposed  taxation  nor  levied 
contribution,  and  he  remained  satisfied  with  the  presents 
which  were  made  to  him  on  these  great  festivals. 

For  the  Natchez,  the  year  opened  in  March,  and  was 
divided  into  thirteen  moons.  The  thirteenth  moon 
was  added  to  make  the  coui-se  of  that  planet  coirespond 
with  that  of  the  sun,  and  to  complete  the  year.  On 
every  new  moon  a  great  feast  was  celebrated,  and  took 
its  name  from  the  fruits  which  had  been  gathei-ed,  from 
the  game  which  had  been  pursued,  or  from  the  usual 
occujjations  of  the  people  during  the  preceding  moon. 
Thus,  the  year  began  in  MarcJi  with  the  cele])ration  of 
the  moon  of  the  deer.  It  was  the  most  joyous  and  the 
most  important  celebration.  There  was  rehearsed  a 
sort  of  dramatic  performance,  recalling  the  memory  of 
an  historical  event  which  had  left  a  deep  impression 
upon  the  Natchez. 

In  days  of  old,  a  Great  Sun,  having  heard  the  uproar 
of  a  sudden  tumult  in  his  village,  issued  precipitately 
from  his  dwelling,  to  appease  wliat  he  supposed  to  be  a 
quarrel  among  his  i)eo})le,  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  a 
hostile  nation,  by  Avhich  his  capital  had  been  surprised. 
Buc  the  Natchez  recovering  from  their  astonishment 
and  dismay,  came  in  time  to  the  rescue,  delivered  their 
sovereign,  and  put  to  flight  their  enemies  with  inmiense 
shiughter.  In  commemoration  of  this  honorable  event 
in  their  history,  their  wariiors,  at  the  beginning  of 
every  year,  in  the  moon,  of  the  deei\  would  divide  them- 
selves into  two  bodies,  made  distinct  by  the  colors  of 
their  feathers.  Tliose  who  re])resented  the  Natchez, 
wore  white  feathers,  and  those  who  acted  the  enemy, 
sported  red  feathers.  Both  these  troops  put  themselves 
in  ani])uscade  near  the  residence  of  the  sovereiL^u.    The 


DIVISION  OF  THE  MOSTHS.  g(g 

enemies  commanded  by  the  Gi-mt  Ohkf  of  iU  Wm- 
J«,  who  waa  always  the  most  dMnguid  gene^ 
of  the  tnbe  some  sr.h  thmg  a«  an  Alexander,  a  C=esar 
a  Bonaparte  or  a  Wellington,  were  the  first  to  issue 
lw\^"'l  f  °^  <^»"™alment,  and  approached  with 
slow  steps  the  house  of  the  Great  Sm,  but  shouting  aU 
the  whde  to  the  full  top  of  their  voices,  and  distorti^ 

Th  1  thl  ?  '"  \'™'y  ^"■•'  °f  f»««  contortions 
Ihcn  the  Great  Sun  came  out  full  dressed,  but  rub- 

th  Lty  V  ^"1  ""*'"«■    The  foes  shoutbg 
Um  aw^      ■^'         '  *'""'*'™^  "P""  ^^  ^"d  ^'"•■■ied 
In  their  turn,  the  Natchez  came  rushing  on    and  en- 
countered  their  enemies  with  terrific  howls  and  shriek 
making  an  appalling  compound  of  all  the  tones  and  ex- 

vengc      Then  followed  during  half  an  hour,  a  scene  of 

mm  ic  warfare,  ,n  winch  both  parties  displayed  all  the 

tratagems  they  could  invent,  and  all  the  miUtary  skm 

they  possessed.     Daring  all  that  time,  prodigies  of  valor 

Tnlfh  "T/  '■V'"'  '''■'""  '^«"  who'stoutlyi: 
fended  himselt  with  a  wooden  tomahawk.    The  ene- 

uHim^lT  r,'"™,™™'"!"'^''''^"  '»  J-eaps  under 
his  simulated  blows,  and  strewed  the  ground  with  their 
corpse,,.     At  last,  the  Natehe.  succeeded  in  routing  the 

S-stte"'''T,'  "''"'"/'"•y  I'^^ed  to  a  considerable 
cWauce-  and  delighted  with  such  a  complete  and  glo- 
rious victory,  they  returned  to  their  village,  bearing 
aloft  in  triumph  their  sovereign,  making  th^  welkif 
nng  with  their  joyous  shouts,  which  w«-e  merrily  re 
spon.led  to  by  the  echoes  of  their  hills.  The  old  men 
the  women  and  children  came  forward  to  meet  the  re^ 
urnnig  host,  and  joined  with  noisy  demonstrations  m 
he  general  jubiation.  The  French  writers  report  that 
the  spectacle  of  this  mimic  battle  was  exceedingly  in- 


• 

1 

I    , 

i  i  :            :     ' . 
■  '                  '  .    .  ■ 

i 
1 

i 

1 

II 
i 

t  '.       *'■ 


I 


f  ''■ 


,t 

,.4t 

.  it  ; 

! 

1 

i 

1 

■  1 

t 


DivMroN  OF  TrrK  wonthi^. 

tPiVHliiii!:,  juid  tliat  it  was  s(.  Inic  to  luitiiro  in  ft!l  iffl  in- 
cidents, jiiid  ])r()duc<"d  siicli  :i,  coinplctc  illusion,  Oiat  no 
one  could  vvitiU'HM  it  williout  the  liv,.Ii,>st  ('xcitciiiciit. 

Tlio  di'tdt  S„n,  Ix'iiiL,^  ('S(!ort('d  bark  to  liis  dwcllin**, 
retired  to  rest,  and  while  lie  was   ic|)osin_i^^,  his  sulijeetn, 
who  fcii^nied  to  be  ii^nionnit  whether  \w  was  wou'ndei! 
or  not,  ijiniMed  fd)oiit  th«!  villa,<,^e,  utferinir  irroans  and 
plaintive  si,i;lis.      After  the  hipsc  (.f  about  iialf  an  hour, 
the  (Jreat  Smi  ('.'une  out,  bareheach'd,  and  without  !ii«» 
crowTi.      lb'  W.-1S  joyrully  «nd  respectfully  saluted  with 
shouts  and  every  denionstralion  of'enlhuaiastio  ^•reetin*^. 
Hut  prolound  sih-nee  ensued  anions' I  he  jx'opK',  when 
they  saw  th(>ir  sovereii^ni  advanein^i,'  in  the  dinH'tioii  of 
the  tein]>le.      When   in   front  of  the  edifice,  \w  bowed 
with  profound   revi-ivnce,  as  if  in  adoration.     Then  he 
sjfathered  dust,  which  he  threw  back  over  his  head,  and 
turn»!d  successively  to  the  four  (puirters  of  the  world  la 
repeatin.ij:  the  same  jict  of  thi-owini,'  dust.     M'Wv  tlil^, 
he  h)oked  tix(«dly  ;it  the  temple,  extended  both  his  amis 
liori/ontally,  as  motionless  ;is  a  statue,  and  prayini,^  all 
the  while.      His  subjects  observed  the  deepest' silence 
while  this  was  o-i>i„n^  ,,ii ;  ,,nd  ,,ii  his  returning:  ^*>  tii3 
house,    the    n-roaus    of  the    people    recommenced,  and 
ceas(>d  only  wluMi  he  reappeiiivd  with  the  royal  diadem 
round  his  Temples.     Then,  his  throne,  which  w.as  a  stoul 
four  toet  hiirh,  decorated  with  curious  devices,  and  cov- 
m'd  witli  a  fajicifully  ])aintt  >'  skin,  was  l)rou,oht  b(>fore 
his  door.     On   his  takinof  his  seat,  his  warriors  thre\7 
ov,>r  his  shouldei-s  a  choice  bullalo  hide,  and  under  lii3 
feet  a  carpet  ,>f  costly  fui-s.     The  vest  of  his  subjects 
and  the  women  jiresented   him  also  with  various  otl'er- 
in^N,  according'  io  their  means.     T\\\a  wivs  the  iirst  trib- 
ute  of  the  year  ])aid  to  the  soviM-eii^ni. 

When  this   ceremony  was  over,  t]u»  princes  of  the 
royal  blood,  called  the  Little  Suius^^  entered  the  paluce 


DIVISIOIf  OP  THE  MONTHS, 


309 


Wlti  tlto  Omit  San,  On  tlils  cccasion,  if  tlu>r(>  were 
8trun^^(.rH  ,,f  <lis<,lncti<m  in  tl..  villu^^.,  tl.oy  were  invited 
to  .I.no  witli  the  «<,verei,^n..  In  the  evening.,  dunces 
wem  .>xec.ut.Ml  round  the  royal  dwellin^^  wliich  was 
Uuilt  m  nn  nrti/ieiul  mound,  measuring  eight  feet  in 
ieight  by  sixty  feet  8(|ujire. 

The  second  moon,  which  corresponded  with  our 
month  ,>t  April,  was  cuHe.J  th(,  mooa  of  .trawbenie,, 
lu.  iv^^nen  and  ehildren  .uather.Ml  a  c.on;i<h,ra],]e  ,,uan. 
tity  of  th.s  _fr,nt,  and  di.l  not  fail  to  present  to  the 
OveafS,n,  his  tull  sluuv  <.f  the,  harvest.  On  that  occa- 
Slol,  the  warj-K.rn  ten.hM..!  hini  a  liheral  (,ir,.,in..-  of 
Wlht  dueks,  which  were  smoked  for  i)i-eservatio,u  Tliia 
was  the  second  tril)ute. 

TJie  thIM  moon,  in  the  rnontlt  of  May,  was  called  tlie 
1,10011  OS  Mcorn,  \n  ^vhich  they  f<.tsted  on  the  l.alance 
Otcorn  ivmamm-  from  the  preceding  year,  after  having, 
pjud  to  their  sovereign  what  they  considered  Lis  due! 
Ihiswasthe  third  tribute. 

The  fourth  moon,  or  June,  was  cnWoi\  i\e  moon  of 
Wa(e,--melom.^  1\>  the  (Jreat  Suu  was  otlere<I  a  lar4 
supply  ot  tins  fruit,  and  of  iish  caught  in  tlie  Missi* 
Si|»pi,  uud  cur..'fully  pickled.  T]ji«  wiw  the  foui-th 
ti'ihute, 

Th(^  fifth  moon,  or  the  month  of  July,  was  called  the 
worn  or  juachf,.  'J^licu,  the  sovereign  received  his  in-o 
Vision  oi  wild  grai.es  and  peachc^s.  It  was  his  iiftli 
trihuti^. 

TJie  sixth  moon,  or  the  month  of  August,  was  called 
the  wooii  of  hhrkherrl,.,.  Full  baskets  of  tliis  fmlt 
wore  laid  before  the  (Ireat  Sun,  and  he  was  abundantly 
Snpplu'.l  with  ev.Ty  kind  of  domestic  foul  Jt  wa^  the 
Sixth  tributes  Kvery  one  of  thos(>  moons  was  attended 
With  teastmgs  and  rejoicings. 

Tlie  tJuvtiitU  muou,  oi-  the  mouth  of  September  waa 


■•  \' 


-  m!" 


I   .Mi 


. ;  I, 


{■■!•', 


iir 


910 


IBB  uooir  OP  ooRir. 


tLe  moon  cf  nm  corn,  t!ie  celebration  cf  wlicli  c<)n- 
msted  in  eating  in  common,  witli  certain  religious  cere- 
monies,  a  quantity  of  corn  whicli  had  been  planted  and 
cultivated  to  that  effect.    To  plant  that  corn,  a  space 
of  uncleared,  virgin  land  was  selected  and  prepared  for 
cultivation  by  the  warriors,  who  used  fire  to  kill  the 
tree",  and  to  remove  the  grass,  furz,  canes,  or  other 
vegetable  rubbish  whit-h  might  encumber  the  ground. 
On  the  land^  being  ready,  the  corn  had  to  be  planted 
by  the  warriors,  under  the  command  of  the  war-ehief. 
None  were  allowed  to  work  in  the  sacred  field  but  the 
warriors,  and  it  would  have  amounted  to  profanation,  • 
deserving  of  death,  foi-  any  other  person  to  join  in  that 
labor.     When  this   corn  began  to  ripen,  the  warriors 
chose  a  well-shaded  spot,  where  they  constructed  abara 
in  the  shape  of  a  large  round  tower.     They  called  it 
"  Morao  ataop,"  which  signified,  ham  of  value.   When  the 
barn  wiis  filled  up  with  the  new  corn,  the  sovereign  was 
informed  of  that  fact^  and  he  fixed  the  day  on  which,  iji 
his  presence,  it  was  to  be  eaten  in  common.    Then, 
temporary  huts,  made  for  the  occasion,  with  the  lopped 
off  ])ranches  of  trees,  with  sweet-smelling  grass,  f.esh 
leaves,  and  green  moss,  were  erected  ror  the  Great  Suii, 
and  all  his  peoi)l(',  to  i)r()tect  them  against  the  inclem- 
encies of  the  weather,  during  the  feast,  Avhich  always 
lasted  several  <lays.     At  dawn,  on  the  day  appointed, 
all  the  old  men  and  the  adults,  the  women  and  children, 
departed  with  the  necessary  utensils,  to  make  the  re- 
quired  i)re])arations.    Tlie  war-chief  i)laced  sixteen  war- 
riors,  among  whom  were  eight  veterans,  at  the  door  of  the 
sovereign,  and  eight  others  at  regulai-  intervals  of  one 
hundred  paces  each,  from  tlu^  royal  dwelling  to  the 
place  of  rendezvous,     Tlu-ir  duty  was  to  act  as  sedan- 
bearers  to  the  Great  Sun.     After  making  these  disposi- 
tions,  tlie  war-chiuf  wwit  to  the  iiieuting-^)luce,  where, 


THE  MOON  OF  CORN. 


8U 


putting  himself  at  the  head  of  the  rest  of  the  warriors, 
he  patiently  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  sovereign. 

Now,  the  royal  sedan  is  at  tlie  door  of  the  palace. 
Its  four  arms  are  painted  red,  and  its  body  is  richly  dec* 
orated  with  fancifully  painted  and  embroidered  dee 
skins,  with  leaves  of  the  magnolia,  and  with  garlands 
of  white  and  red  flowers.  Out  comes  the  sovereign  iu 
full  dress,  and  with  all  the  marks  of  his  dignity.  The 
sixteen  warriors,  stationed  at  his  door,  utter  successive- 
shouts  as  loud  as  human  lungs  will  allow.  The  eio-ht 
warriors  who  are  placed  at  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
steps,  repeat  these  shouts  with  the  same  vehemence, 
which  shouts  are  almost  instantaneously  transmitted 
from  throats  to  throats  to  the  place  where  the  people 
are  congregated,  and  where  they  are  informed  in  this 
way  of  the  coming  of  their  sovereign.  On  his  issuing 
from  his  door,  the  eight  old  vetei-aus  lift  him  up  into 
the  sedan  supported  by  the  eight  other  warriors,  who 
depart  with  him  full  speed,  and  run  as  fast  as  they  can. 
At  every  hundred  steps,  the  sovereign  finds  a  fresh  re- 
lay of  eight  men,  and  travels  with  the  greatest  rapid- 
ity, followed  by  those  who  have  successively  borne  him, 
and  who  utter  deaf«Miing  shouts,  which  are  nothing, 
however,  to  those  b«41ovv'ed  forth,  when  he  appears  in 
sight  of  the  whole  nation  assembled.  He  is  first  carried 
in  triumph  round  the  l)arn,  which  he  salutes  respect- 
fully with  three  howls,  to  which  the  people  respond 
with  nine  distinct  and  measured  howls.  Then  he  as- 
cends his  throne,  and  familiarly  converses  with  his 
nobles.  During  that  time,  what  is  called  new  fire,  is 
made  ])y  rubbing  two  sticks  together.  Every  other 
kind  of  fire  would  be  looked  upon  as  profiine.  When 
all  is  ready,  the  war-cliief  presents  himself  before  the 
throne  of  the  (xreat  Sun,  and  says  to  him,  "  Speak— I 
wait  for  thy  command."     Then  the  Great  Sim  rises, 


m 

:;  . 

■|r: 

■  t 

■ '? 

'..  !^ 

■fitM 


1     \ 


±Lif1 


MHj 

1 

11 

HHj 

r 

'h 

' '  ^hH^  il^lfl 

1 

' 

4            -''      lIlHl 

1 

•»  »HE  MOOK  OP  CORir. 

tows  reverentially  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  world 
beginning  with  the  East.  He  next  raises  his  hands  anct 
eyes  toward  henven  and  says,  "Let  the  corn  be  dis- 
tributed."  The  war-chief  thanks  him  with  one  pro. 
longed  howl,  the  princes  and  princesses  with  three 
howls,  and  the  common  people  with  nine,  with  the  ex. 
ception  of  the  women  and  children,  who  observe  a  pro. 
found  silence, 

•       After  a  certain  lapse  of  time,  when  it  is  supposed  that 
the  repast  is  prepared,  the  toonUearer,  or  clicuicelhr  of 
the  Great  Sun,  says  to  the  master  of  ceremonies :  "  See 
if  the  victuals  are  proi)erly  cooked."    Then,  two  dishes 
of  corn  are  brought  to  the  Great  Sun,  who  goes  out  of 
his   hut,  presents  them  to  the   four  quarters  of  the 
world,  and  sending  one  of  them  to  the  war-chief,  says, 
Fachcou,  eat,-^a  command  which  his  subjects  joyfully 
and  eagerly  obey.    The  warriors  eat  firnt,  then  the 
young  men  and  boys,  and  next,  the  women  and  young 
girls.  ^  When  the  warriors  have  done,  they  form  tl)en> 
Belves  into  two  opposite  bands,  occui)ying  two  sides  of 
a  square  fitted  up  for  the  occa.sion,  and  they  sing  with 
alternate  choruses  during  about  half  an  hour.     Those 
songs  are  always  of  a  warlike  character.     The  war. 
chief  puts  an  end  to  that  concert,  by  striking  with  his 
tomahawk  the  red  post  which  is  erected  in  ^the  midst 
of  the  square,  and  which  is  called  the  Warrhr^s  post 
Then  begins  what  may  be  called  the  dedamatwn  seme 
which  IS  opened  by  the  war-chiet:     With  an  emphatic 
tone  he  relates  his  exploits,  and  boasts  of  the  number 
of  foes  he  has  killed.     He  concludes  l)y  making  an  ap. 
peal  to  the  bystan.lers  in  confii-rnation  of  the  truth  of 
his  assertions,  to  which  they  assent  with  a  loud  vhlafus 
or  howl     All  the  warriors  follow  the  exaini>le  of  their 
chief,  according  to  their  rank,  and  like  him  recite  their 
heroic   deeds.     la  their  urii,  the  young  men  are  al- 


THE  MOOIT  OF  CORIT. 


813 


lowed  to  strike  tlie  painted  post,  and  to  say,  not  wliat 
they  have  done  (their  military  career  not  having  yet 
begvni),  but  what  they  intend  to  do.  The  youths' that 
speak  well  aj-e  encouraged  with  a  howl  from  the  wap. 
riors,  who,  when  they  disai)prove,  sIioav  it  by  hanging 
dmyn  their-  heads,  and  remaining  silent.  The  desire  to 
elicit  the  api)robation  of  their  superiors  excites  tho 
warmest  emulation  among  the  >oung  men,  and  taxes  to 
the  utmost  all  the  energies  of  their  minds. 

When  night  comes,  two  hundred  torclies  made  of  diy 
reeds,  and  frequently  renewed,  illumine  the  square, 
where  the  Indians  dance  until  daylight.    There  is  great 
monotony  in  these  dances.     A  man  sits  down  wkh  a 
large  kettle  in  which  there  Is  a  little  water,  and  which 
is  covered  over  with  deer-skin  draAvn  as  tight  as  possi- 
ble.    With  one  hand,  he  holds  the  kettle  between  his 
legs,  and  with  the  other  he  beats  time  on  this  kind  of 
rude  drum.     The  women  form  a  circle  round  him  at  a 
certain  distance  from  each  other,  and  have  their  hands 
thrust  into  a  ring  of  feathers  which  they  twirl  round 
their  wrists,  while  they  move  in  cadence  from  left  to 
right.     The  men  form  another  circle  next  to  the  one  of 
the  women,  and  keep  at  a  distance  of  six  feet  from 
each  other.     Every  one  of  them  has  his  chiehicfm,  with 
which  he  keeps  time.    The  cJt  ieli  irois  is  a  sort  of  oblong 
gourd  bored  at  l)oth  extremities:  through  these  holes 
a  stick  is  run,  the  longest  outside   part  of  which  serves 
as  a  handle.     In  the  gourd  there  are  small  stones,  or 
dry  beans,  which,  when  shaken,  produce  a  considerable 
noise.     As  the   women   turn  in  dancing  from  left  to 
right,  the  men  move  from  right  to  left.     The  dancers, 
when  fatigued,  withdraw,  and  are  often  replaced  by 
others.      In  proi)ortion  as  the  num])er  of  dancers  in- 
creases or  tliminishes,  the  (urcles  grow  larger  or  smaller. 


■M  ] 


i 

1         ! 

] 

i  If 


The  next  day,  the  Indians  do  not  le, 


;ive  their  huts 


814 


NATIONAL  CHARACTER 


i! 


before  tliey  are  summoned  out  by  the  Great  Sun,  who, 
at  nine  o'clock,  makes  his  appearance  on   tlie  i)uljlic 
square,  and  where,  having  j)romenaded  for  some  time 
with  the   war-chief,  he  orders  the  kettle-drum  to  be 
lieaten.     Then  the  warriors  come  out  of  their  huts,  and 
form  tliemselves  into  two  bands,  to  play  at  tennis.    The 
one,  with  white  feathers,  is  headed  by  the  Great  Sun, 
and  the  other>  with  red  ones,  by  the  war-chief     llie 
game  is:  for  one  party  to  drive  the  tennis  ball  in  the 
direction  of  the  hut  of  the  Great  Sun,  so  as  to  make  it 
strike  the  hut,  and  for  the  other  party  to  oppose  it, 
and  to  push  the  same  ball  toward  the  dwelling  of  the 
war-chiet;  with  a  similar  intent.    The  contest  generally 
lasts  two  hours,  and  is  at  an  end  when  the  ball  strikes 
either  hut.    Then  come  war-dances ;  and  in  the  evening, 
to  refresh  their  wearied  lind)s,  the  people  amuse  them- 
selves with  bathing.    This  fciist  continues  until  the  corn 
is  eaten  up,  M-ith  the  exception  of  what  is  reserved  for 
the  Great  Sun,  who  alone  has  the  privilege  of  carrying 
some  of  it  away.     It  constitutes  the  seventh  tribute. 

October  is  the  moon  of  the  turJceys  ;  November,  the 
moon  of  the  hugaloes ;  then  follow   the   moon,   of  the 
lear^?,  tlie  moon  of  the  geese,  the  moon  of  the  chestnuts, 
and  the  moon  of  the  wain  uts.     On  each  of  these  moons, 
the  Great  Sun  receives  his  monthly  tri):)ute. 
^  There  were  some  very  remarkal)le  ti-aits  in  the  na* 
tional  character  of  the  Natchez,  among  which  was  the 
pre-eminence  allowed  to  the  2nale  over  the  female  sex. 
lu  all  assemblies,  either  puljlic  or  private,  even  in  the 
privacy  of  the  family  circle,  tlie  youngest  boys  had  the 
precedency  over  the  oldest  women,  and  when  all  the 
members  of  one  family  sat  down  to  their  meals,  a  ])oy, 
two  years  old,  received  his  food  before  his  mother  was 
lielped.     Whatever  impression  this  circumstance  may 
have  produced  oii  the  tumper  of  the  Natchez  women,  it 


OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


3]  5 


is  certain  that  so  mucli  docility  was  inculcated  Ly  edu- 
cation into  their  minds,  that  a  quarrel  between  husband 
and  wife  would  have  been  looked  upon  as  something 
monstrous. 

If  the  women  were  docile  and  very  industrious,  they 
were,  according  to  our  standard  of  morality,  extremely 
addicted,  when  unmarried,   co   the   lowest   profligacy. 
Strange  to  say,  this   profligacy  was  a  merit  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  Natchez.     Thus,  all  their  women,  while 
single,  were  allowed  to  sell  their  favors ;  and  she  who 
had  accpiii-ed  the  wealthiest  marriage  portion  by  this 
abominable  traflic,  was  looked  upon  as  having  the  most 
attracti(^n,  and  as  being  far  superior  to  all  the  females 
of  her  tribe.     She  became  an  object  of  competition, 
and  received  the  homages  of  the  loftiest  and  most  re- 
nowned warriors.     However,  as  soon  as  they  were  mar- 
ried, these  professed  courtesans  were  immediately  trans- 
formiHl  into  as  many  Lucretias,  and  both  husband  and 
wife  became  patterns  of  fidelity.     They  said,  in  expla- 
nation of  this  change  in  their  conduct,  "  that  having  sol- 
emnly given  away  their  persons,  they  had  no  longer  a 
right  to  dispose  as  they  pleased  of  that  which  they  had 
pledged  to  another."     The  married  woman  })eing  thus 
so  remarkable  for  fidelity,  industry,  and  docility,  matri- 
monial happiness  was  as  common  among  the  Natchez  as 
it  is  rare  among  other  i)eo])le,  and  although  they  had 
the  riglit  of  i-ejiudiation,  they  very  seldom  exercised  it; 
—a  tiling  which  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  since  no  one 
must  be  supjtosed  to  be  willing  to  renounce  the  sweet 
slumbers  which  he  enjoys  under  the  soft  rays  of  a  per* 
petual  honey-moon. 

Marriages  were  never  contracted  without  the  unani- 
mous assent  of  the  elder  members  of  the  two  families- 
When  that  was  obtained,  the  two  heads  of  the  families, 
or  the  two  ancients^  ov  fathers^  as  they  were  called,  met 


""^ 

'Mil 

i 

WL 

:    'l 

■ 

1                  }   '. 

1 

H 

'1 

i 

" ,' ' , 

'I' 


!|i 


•'ll 


4i  \x 


4'^ 


!  I<ll    i. 


H 


ifJ' 


;.i       ri 


316 


CELEBRATION  OP  MARRIAGE, 


and  settled  the  preliminary  conditions.  The  young  peo 
pie  were  never  forced  into  alliances  against  their  will, 
but  at  the  same  time  they  could  not  gratify  their  irr'li- 
nation  without  its  being  a])proved  b;  those  meLaoers 
of  their  families  to  whom  they  owed  respect  and  obedi- 
ence. ^  It  was  thought  that  i  >  one  had  a  right  to  intro- 
duce into  a  family  a  member  that  would  not  be  accept- 
a])le.  It  is  clear  that  the  i)hilosoi)hy  of  elopements  was 
not  undei-stood  by  those  barbarians,  and  was  reserved 
for  a  more  refined  state  of  civilization. 

When  a  mari-iage  had  been  determined  upon,  the 
head  of  the  family  of  the  bride,  the  ancient,  went  with 
her  and  her  whole  family  to  the  ]-esidence  of  the  bride- 
groom, who  there  stood  surrounded  also  by  his  own 
family.     The  oldest  man  on  the  side  of  the  bridegroom 
welcomed  his  compeer  in  age  on  the  side  of  the1)ride, 
with  this  brief  salutation:  '' CakmcKte''~i.9  it   thou? 
"■  Ma)uttte''—!/es,  answered  the   other.      'Tetchy— dt 
down,  rejilied  tlie  first.     Then  the  whole  assembly  took 
seats,  and  the  most  grave  and  profound  silence  followed 
the  laconic  dialogue  which  I  liave  related.     After  a 
lapse  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  oldest  man  rose,  and 
ordering  those  who  were  to  be  united  to  stand  before 
him,  he  addressed  to  them  an  allocution,  in  which  he 
recapitulated  all  the  duties  they  voluntarily  jissumed, 
and  he  gave  them  abundant  and  wholesome   advice! 
When  this  sermon  was  over,  the  fother  of  the  bride- 
groom handed  to  his  son  the  present  which  he  was  to 
make  to  the  family  of  his  future  wife,  and  the  father  of 
the  l)ri(le  stepi)ed  forward  and  put  himself  by  the  side 
of  his  daughter.     Then  the  biidegroom   said   to  the 
bride,  "  Wilt  thou  have  me  for  thy  husl  )and  ?"     She 
answered,  "With  all  my  heart;  love  me  as  much  as  I 
love  thee,  for  thou  art  and  thou  shalt  be  my  only  love." 
When  these  words  were  uttered,  the  l^ridegroom  held 


CELEBRATION  OP  MARRIAGE. 


317 


over  the  head  of  his  bride  the  gift  which  he  presented 
to  her  family,  and  said,  "  I  love  thee :  therefore  do  I 
take  thee  for  my  wife :  and  here  is  the  present  with 
which  I  buy  thee  from  thy  parents."  Tlien  he  deliv- 
ered the  present  to  the  father  of  the  bride. 

The  bridegroom  wore  a  tuft  of  feathers  at  the  top  of 
the  jilaited  lock  of  hair  which  fell  down  on  his  left 
shoulder,  and  at  the  lower  end  of  which  was  tied  an 
oak  twig  with  its  leaves.  In  liis  left  hand  he  held  a 
bow  and  arrow.  The  tuft  of  feathers  was  an  emblem 
of  the  power  and  command  which  he  had  the  i-ight  to 
exercise  in  his  household ;  the  oak  twig  signified  that 
he  was  not  afraid  of  going  to  the  woods  in  quest  of 
game ;  the  bow  and  the  arrows  meant  that  he  would 
always  be  ready  to  meet  a  foe,  and  to  defend  his  wife 
and  children. 

The  bride  had  in  her  left  hand  a  green  twig  of  the 
laurel  tree,  and  in  her  right  hand  an  ear  of  corn.  The 
laurel  twig  signified  that  she  would  preserve  her  fame 
ever  fair  and  smelling  as  sweet  as  the  laurel  leaf;  the 
ear  of  corn  meant  that  she  would  know  how  to  pre- 
pare it  for  her  husband's  food,  and  to  fulfill  the  other 
duties  imposed  upon  her  as  a  lo\nng  and  a  cutiful  wife. 

When  the  bridegroom  and  the  bride  hail  exchanged 
the  words  which  I  liave  recited  in  the  preceding  para- 
graphs, the  liride  droj^ped  the  ear  of  corn  which  she 
held  in  her  right  hand,  and  tendered  that  hand  to  the 
bridegroom,  who  took  it  and  said,  "  I  am  thy  husband." 
She  replied,  "  I  am  thy  wife."  Then  the  bridegroom 
went  round  and  grasped  the  hand  of  every  member  of 
the  family  of  his  wife.  Wlieu  this  was  over,  he  took 
her  by  the  arm  and  led  her  to  every  member  of  his 
own  family,  to  whom  she  was  introduced  by  him,  and  with 
whom  she  shook  hands.    In  conclusion,  he  walked  with 


'1 

1 

1 

f           > 

^^^H 
^^^H 

I' » 


l;::|trS 


.  1 

r   r  \  ' 


■1[\r    H 


\\>i\ 


■t  ;ii 


THE  THREE  CLASSES  OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


r»i 


I  i 


tt 


ii;4ia 


her  to  his  bed,  and  said  to  her,  "  Here  is  our  bed  ;  keep 
it  undefiled." 

Does  not  the  simple  rchition  of  their  marriage  rites 
carry  the  mind  back  to  those  antique  customs  which 
Hero(U)tus  lias  described  in  such  bewitching  style? 
Are  they  not  impregnated  with  the  soft  graces  of  the 
poetry  of  Greece  ? — and,  at  the  same  time,  do  they  not 
assume  a  character  of  scriptural  austerity  and  beauty! 
To  me  the  whole  scene  is  redolent  with  the  atmosphere 
of  Arabia,  aiul  conjures  up  in  ni}'  imagination  the  glows 
and  tints  of  the  i)atiiarchal  days  so  divinely  described 
in  the  Holy  Book. 

The  nation  of  the  Natchez  was  composed  of  three 
classes :  the  Great  Sun,  or  the  sovereign,  and  the  Little 
Suns  who  constituted  the  nobility ;  then  came  the  men 
of  consideration  or  gentry.     The  plebeians  were  known 
under  the  appellation  of  "  miche  quipy,"  or  the  stiitUng. 
The  Natchez,  in  order  to  be  sure  that  their  sovereigns 
should  always  be  of  the  blood  of  the  mar  who  had 
come  from  the  sun  to  civilize  them,  had  established  as 
a  fundamental  law  of  their   national  polity,  that  the 
right  of  succession  to  the  throne  should  be  imparted 
to  the  men  only  through  the  female  line.     Thus  the 
female  descendants  of  a  Great  Sun  always  remained 
noble,  and  retained  the  privilege  of  giving  birth  to  the 
sovereign ;  but  the  grandson  of  a  Great  Sun  was  no 
more  than  a  man  of  conddtration^  and  his  great-grand- 
son became  a  plebeian— one  of  the  6Unhui(j—v:\\\\Q 
nobility  was  perpetual  in  the  female  line.     After  some 
generations  the  nobles,  although  from  the  same  parent 
stock,  were  not  related  at  all,  or  not  at  least  within 
those  degrees  which  prevented  matrimonial  alliances ; 
and  yet  they  could  not  intermarry  on  account  of  two 
fundamental  laws :  one  prescribing  that  none  of  the  no- 
bib'ty  should  be  put  to  death,  and  the  other  ordaining 


EPISODE  OF  LE  PAGE  DU  PRATZ. 


319 


that,  after  the  death  of  a  male  or  female  noble,  his  wife 
or  her  luisLaiid  should  be  immolated.  Tlie  nobles 
were  therefore  obliged  to  abstain  irom  marrying  among 
their  equals;  which  obligation  was  revolting  to  the 
pride  of  many.  There  are  very  few  women  who  have 
not  a  leaning  to  aristocracy,  and  this  may  be  owing  to 
the  innate  distinction  of  their  nature.  Thus  it  appeal's 
that  this  custom,  which  foi-ced  them  to  marry  among 
tlie_  plebeians,  or  stinking,  had  become  offensive  to 
their  proud  and  delicate  nostrils.  Le  Page  du  Pratz 
relates  a  singular  attempt  made  by  one  of  them  to  pro- 
duce a  revolution,  or  a  change  in  the  organic  laws  of 
her  tribe. 

Le  Page  du  Pratz  had  lived  eight  years  in  the  French 
settlement  near  the   Natchez,  and  had  become  well 
known  among  those  Indians,  who  held  him  in  high 
esteem.     One  day  a  female  Sun  entered  his  room  with 
her  daughter,  a  girl  of  eighteen ;  she  locked  the  door 
ciuvfully,  and  sat  down  for  a  few  minutes  in  deep  and 
dignilied  silence.     Le  Page,  knowing  the  gravity  of 
Indian  manners,  M-ondered  all  the  while  at  the  meaning 
of  this  mysterious  visit,  but  said  nothing,  and  i)atieutly 
waited  for  the  communication  which  would  be  made 
at  la«t.     After  having  rested  in  silence  as  long  as  she 
thought  becoming,  she  rose  and   thus   addressed  Le 
Page:  "We  all  know,  and  I  know  better  than  any 
body  else,  that  thou  art  a  true  man;  that  falsehood 
a]>ideth  not  in  thy  heart,  and  that  thy  tongue  hateth 
the  profusion  of  words.     Thou  speakest  our  language. 
We  love  thee  as  a  brother,  and  we  regret  that  thou  art 
not  one  o+*   ur  Suns.     I  have  matters  of  deep  in  jort  to 
communicate— wherefore  open  thy  ears  and  thy  heart 
to  receive  the  impression  of  my  words.     But  close  thy 
mouth,  and  never  trust  to  the  winds  what  I  am  to  say 
to  thee  in  secrecy  !"     Here  she  stopped  again,  and  after 


I  ^^ 


p'l 


= 

M 

■  1 

M 

■  '  i 

;A 

r;! 

'  f 

If 

.'"!•;; 

1^ 

r 


"f 


if 

I 


Ift  f'i  ^  'm  . 


\ 


1  I-     1  # 


320 


LE  PAGE  DU  PRATZ  AND  THE 


a  short  silence  observed,  as  if  in  doubt,  "  But  shall  I  be 
listened  to  ?"  Now  she  remained  mute  for  a  consider- 
able time,  and  seemed  buried  in  profound  meditation. 
Le  Page,  whose  mind  ^\  is  teeming  with  conjectures 
about  this  strange  scene,  broke  the  silence  he  had  pre- 
served so  far,  and  said,  "  Mj  ears  are  open  as  thou 
wishest,  and  yet  I  hear  nothing  but  the  whistling  of  the 
wind." 

Then  she   resumed  her  discourse  in  this  manner: 
"  My  daughter,  whom  thou  seest  here,  is  young ;  but  if 
she  has  the  weak  body  of  a  woman,  she  has  the  strono- 
mind  of  a  man.     Therefore,  knowing  that  her  lips  are 
sealed,  I  have  not  feared  to  bring  her  with  me,  and  to 
let  her  hear  my  words  to  thee.     When  thy  countrymen 
speak,  I  listen,  because  although  many  are  light-headed, 
some  are  wise  and  know^  much.     I  have  heard  them 
say  that  some  of  our  customs  are  bad  and  wrongful ; 
that  in  tlieir  country  the  noble  marries  with  the  noble, 
and  the  ignoble  with  the  ignoble,  and  that  each  class 
fares  the  better  for  it ;  that  it  is  cruel  to  force  the  wife 
to  die  with  her  husband,  and  the  husband  with  the  wife ; 
that  the  Great  Spirit,  who'  j  laws  the  French  follow  as 
they  are  communicated  to  them  by  the  'speaTcing  harh' 
which  he  gave  them,  frowns  on  such  a  barbarous  cus- 
tom ;  that  it  is  an  error  to  believe  that  husband  and 
wife  can  continue  to  live  as  such  in  the  world  of  spirits, 
because  spirits  have  no  solid  bodies  and  no  sexes,  Avhere- 
fore  they  can  not  cohabit  and  procreate ;  and  that  it 
is  foolish  in  the  Natchez  to  believe  that  they  will  have 
there  the  same  j^leasures  and  avcviations  which  they 
pursue  here.     I  have  pondered  on  their  remarks  con- 
cerning these  matters  and  many  others,  and  I  think 
they  talk  with  wisdom.     Our  customs  are  bad,  and  lead 
to  the  destruction  of  our  race.     But  how  are  we  to 
change  them  ?     Who  will  have  energy  and  power  to 


i^ 


If  ! 


INDIAN'S  DAUGHTER. 


321 


make  the  attempt,  and  to  crush  all  opposition  ?  There- 
fore have  I  come  to  thee  whom  I  love,  trust,  and  re- 
spect. Marry  my  daughter;  she  is  the  nearest  of  kin 
to  the  Great  Sun,  and  thy  son.  if  she  ])rings  one  to  thee 
will  be  our  sovereign  on  a  future  day.  Educated  by 
thee  and  su])ported  l,y  the  French,  he  will  have  the 
mmd  the  will,  and  the  power  to  change  those  laws 
winch  you  look  upon  as  nefarious." 

Le  Page  was  taken  by  surprise,  and  at  first  was  at  a 
loss  foi-_an  answer.     He  knew  that  there  are  certain 
propositions  of  which  women  never  forgive  the  rejec- 
t.on ;  and  as  he  was  not  willing  to  incur  deadly  hostility 
he  sought  to  frame  an  answer  which  would  make  his 
refi^al  palatable.     "  Thy  daughter,"  said  he,  "  is  as  fair 
as  the  rain})ow,  and  my  heart  leaps  toward  her.     But 
far  away,  at  the  place  where  I  was  born,  is  a  blue-eyed 
woman,  to  whom  I  am  married,  and  to  whom  I  must  re- 
turn as  soon  as  I  can.     While  she  lives,  the  God  whose 
laws  I  obey,  forl)ids  that  I  should  take  nnto  my  Ijosom 
another  wife.     It  is  an  obstacle,  as  thou  seest,  which 
can  not  be  removed.     Therefore,  be  satisfied  with  my 
thanks  and  my  gratitude."     The  old  female  Sun  listen- 
ed with  evident  disai^poiiitment,  and  hun-  down  her 
head  as  if  m  sorrow  ;  but  she  gave  no  sign  of  ill-feeling 
or  resentment.     Saluting  Le  Page  with  truly  royal  dig- 
nity, and  putting  meaningly  her  index  on  her  li])s  she 
departed   with    her  daughter.      This   anecdote  hks  a 
raciness  which  vouches  for  its  authenticity,  and  is  an 
mteresting  illustr.ntio.  i  of  the  ideas  which  were  originat- 
mg  from   the   associition   of    the   Natchez  with  the 
French. 

The  Natchez,  when  vhey  had  causes  of  war,  pursued 
before  they  began  hostilities,  a  certain  preliminary 
course,  which,  })eing  almost  general  among  the  Indian 
tribes,  must  be  looked  u])on  iis  proceediii^  from  a  cna- 


'1  .  :•  f 


11 

i ;( I, 


I  i 

k 


r 


J, 

'     t 

•f 

i 

n^ 

322 


INDIAN  MODE  OF  DECLARINQ  WAR. 


torn  wliicli  must  have  been  their  law  of  natlon-f.  The 
ohl  warriors  composed  what  was  called  the  council  of 
war,  to  deliberate  on  that  question.  If  they  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  their  nation  had  been  injured,  tliey 
sent  an  embassy  to  seek  redress.  If  that  redress  wjis 
granted,  they  smoked  the  calumet  of  pe!ice,  which  was 
a  pipe  oi'uamented  Avith  a  variety  of  decorations,  and 
with  feathers  of  the  white  eagle  set  in  the  sha])e  of  a 
fan.  If  satisfaction  was  refused,  tlie  ambassadors  s])eed- 
ily  retui-ned  home,  and  the  warriors  assembled  foi-  the 
war-dance,  a  ceremony  during  which  they  smoked  the 
calumet  of  war,  which  was  shaped  like  the  calumet  of 
peace,  but  with  the  exce})tion,  that  its  ornaments  and 
colors  were  different,  and  that  its  fan  was  com])()sed  of 
the  feathers  of  the  ihuniiigo.  Their  Avarriors  were 
divided  into  three  classes :  the  true  warrior.^  or  those 
whose  courage  had  been  tried  on  all  occasions,  and  had 
invariably  been  found  the  same  at  all  times ;  the  ord/^ 
nary  warriors ;  and  the  apprentice  ivarrior-s-^  or  young 
men,  Avho  were  beginning  their  military  career.  A  for- 
mal declaration  of  war  consisted  in  a  hieroglyphic  pic- 
ture, executed  in  a  rude  manner,  and  left  l)y  tlie  nation 
declaring  war,  near  the  principal  village  of  the  nation 
against  which  war  was  declared.  It  was  intcmded,  I  sup- 
pose, for  some  such  manifesto  as  is  pul)lished  in  our 
days,  on  the  like  occlusions,  by  the  civilized  nations 
of  Christendom. 

When  Avar  Avas  resolved  on,  they  painted  their  l)odies 
in  A-arious  colors,  so  as  to  make  themselves  as  frierht- 
fully-looking  devils  as  possible,  and  prepared  for  battle 
by  feasting :  a  ])ractice  Avhich  they  held  in  common 
with  the  Spartans.  On  a  day  soknnily  fix(>(l,  they 
gathered  in  circles  i-ound  all  the  delicacies  which  they 
could  command,  such  as  fish,  deer,  butt-ilo,  or  l)ear 
meat,  either  fresh  or  smoked,  and  particularly  a  roasted 


DEPARTURE  OK  A  WARLIKE  EXPEDITIOIT.  323 

do^  wLich  xvoB  a  dish  as  much  esteemed  by  them  as  a 
roasted  peacock  by  the  liomans:  corn  w4  liberally 
«sed  and  was  dressed  in  various  ways,  of  which  the 
most  relished  was  one  which  is  still  in  fashion  amon^ 
the  o  a  irench  population  of  Louisiana,  and  which  is 
called  ".«^«..,,"  They  drank  on  this  occasion  an 
exh.htratmg  beverage,  whicli  consisted  in  a  fermented 
iquor,  inade  w,th  the  leaves  of  the  Cassia  berry- 
tree.  To  tins  feast  tlie  warriors  always  came  fully 
equipped    and  with  their  weapons  in  the  best  ordeI^ 

them  the  oldest  amon..  then.,  so  ohl  as  to  be  incapable 
ot  active  service  m  the  field,  hohling  the  calumet  of  war 
m  his  right  hand,  made  a  speech,  in  which  he  recited 
his  exploits,  and  exhorted  Iiis  companions  to  emulate 
his  deeds.  One  of  them  once  concluded  his  address  in 
this  way:  I  give  it  as  a  sami,le  of  this  kind  of  oratory. 
Aow    my  brothers,"  said  he,  "depart  with  confi- 

volw    /t^l^'^"^- ^'•^"'•'•^«  ^^«  "^i^lity,  your  hearts  big, 
your  feet  light,  your  eyes  open,  your  smell  keen,  voui' 
ears    attentive,    your    skins    proof  against  heat,  ^old, 
water,  and  fjre.     If  the  enemy  .should  be  too  powerful 
remember  that  your  lives  are  precious,  and  that  one 
scalp  lost  by  you  is  one  cause  of  sliame  brought  uDon 
your  nation.     Therefore,  if  it  be  necessary,  do^not  hesi- 
tate to  fly,  and  in  that  case,  be  m  wary  as  the  serpent 
and  conceal  yourselves  with  the  skill  of  the  fox  or  of 
the  squirrel.     But  although  you  run  away,  do  not  for- 
get that  you  are  men,  that  you  are  true  warriors,  and 
that  you  must  not  fear  the  foe.     Wait  awhile,  and  your 
turn  wdl  come.     Then,  when  your  enemy  is  in  your 
power,  and  you  can  assail  him  with  advantage,  flin-  all 
your  arrows  at  him,  and  when  tliey  are  exhausted,  c^me 
to  close    quarters,  strike,  knock  down,  and  let  your 
tomahawks  be  drunk  w'th  blood." 


-lit! 


ill: 


,   ' 


!  i 


!M 


•i 


b*s| 


324  TBR  CEREM0KTE8  rRETABATORT  TO  WAR. 


if*! 


1  !l»f' 


This  rough  kind  of  eloquence  seldom  failed  io  pro- 
voke enthusiastic  shouts.     Satisfied  Avith  the  effect  he 
had  produced,  tlie  orator  iilled  the  calumet  of  war  with 
tobacco,  drew  a  i)uff,  and  passed  the  instrument  to  the 
war-chief,  from  whom  it  circulated  among  the  rest  of 
the  warriors.     When  this  was  over,  the  war-chief  cut 
ft  slice  of  the  roasted  dog,  the  other  warriors  did  the 
eame,  and  ate  while  they  walked  very  ftist,  to  signify 
tliat  a  good  warrior  ouglit  not  to  stop  even  to  tak^e  his 
food,  that  he  ought  to  he  constantly  in  motion,   and 
ever  watchful  like  a  dog.     Tlien  they  sat  down  and  be- 
gan their  repast  in  earnest.     But  a  young  man,  who 
was  placed  in  ara])uscade  at  a  distance  of  two  hundred 
or  three  hundi-ed  steps,  sudderdy  shouted  the  death- 
cry  ;  spontaneously  all  the  warriors  seized  their  weajv 
ens,  and  ran  to  tlie  spot  from  which  issued  the  shout. 
When  they  came  to  it,  the  same  young  warrior  repeated 
the  same  shriek,  to  which  all  the  warriors  responded  in 
the  same  manner. 

Then,  they  came  back  together  to  continue  the  re- 
past which  they  had  abandoned,  but  luirdly  were  they 
at  it,  when  another  young  man  repeated  the  same  ope- 
ration, which  produced  the  same  effects.     After  several 
interruptions  of  this  kind,  which  were  intended  as  prac- 
tical lessons,  the  war  l)everag(',  composed,  as  I  have  al- 
ready said,  with  the  leaves  of  the  cassia  berry-tree,  was 
introduced,  to  the  great   satisfaction  of  the  warriors, 
who  partook  very  freely  of  the  intoxicating   liquor.' 
When  the  eating  and  di-inking  was  over,  the  wan-iors 
planted  the  war-post,  wliic^h  was  painted  r(Ml,  and  the 
top  of  which  was  shaped  so  as  to  reprc^sent  the  head  of 
a  man.     Every  warrior,  in  his  turn,  rnshed  furiously  at 
the  post  and  struck  it  with  his  tomahawk,  in  uttering 
the  death-cry.     He  then  nicited  his  exploits  with  em- 
phasis,  and  insulted  the  wai'-post,  which  represented 


THEIR  MODE  OF  WARFARE. 


326 


the  enemy.  He  concluded  his  taunting  speech  with  a 
tremendous  lioul,  which  was  answered  by  the  other 
wiUTiors.  AVhen  every  one  of  them  had  gone  throuc.-h 
this  monotonous  exhibition,  they  began  the  war-dance, 
which  they  executed  in  their  war-dress,  and  with  aU 
tlKiir  weai)ons  about  their  persons.  Wliile  the  war- 
riors  were  thus  engaged,  the  rest  of  the  nation  assumed 
the  garb  ot  affliction,  and  observed  a  strict  fast.  The 
war  teast  lasted  three  days :  after  which,  the  warriors 
marched  against  the  enemy  with  all  the  provisions  pre. 
pared  for  them  by  their  wives. 

Pitched  battles  among  the  Indians  were  of  rare  oc. 
currence.     War  with  them  consisted  in  aml)uscades  and 
surprises.     They  delighted  in  picking  up  some  strag- 
glers from  the  nation  against  which  they  were  waning 
—poor  wretches  who,  while   fishing,  hunting,  or  en- 
gaged in  some  other  peaceful  avocations,  were  startled 
by  the  unexpected  and  terrific  whoop  of  an  unmerciful 
foe.     But  the  greatest  of  all  exj.loits  for  them,  was  to 
suri)rise  a  village  at  night,  to  kill  and  scalp  all  the  men 
to  burn  down  to  the  ground  all  the  habitations,  and  to 
carry  away  all  the  women  and  chiklren,  when  they  did 
not  kill  them  on  the  spot,  while  intoxicated  with  ra-e 
and  with  the  reeking  vapors  of  indiscriminate  shiuo-hter 
lien,  an  a  recording  monument,  and  in  glorification  of 
what  they  had  done,  they  nailed  to  a  tree   a  hi^-ro- 
glyphie  picture  with  two  bloody  arrows,  forming  the 
St.  Andr<.w^s  cross.     After  this,  they  retreate<l  from 
the  enemy  s  territory  with  the  utmost  speed,  and  had 
recourse  to  every  stratagem  to  conceal  the  route  they 
took,  morder  to  escape  pursuit.     They  made  slaves  of 
their  prisoners  when  those  prisoners  were  women  and 
children,  and  they  cropped  the  hair  short  to  all  who 
were  thus  reducMl  to  slavery.     But  when  it  was  a  man 
whom  they  carried  back  to  their  homes,  their  triumph 


j.;*d 


11 

1      .'"■ 

1 

^26 


THE  PRISONKIIS  TOUTtrUKD. 


II 


w> 


was  comploto,  1)ocauso  i]w  wliolo  ti-il,e  was  to  ho  enteiv 
taincd  with  i\w  spectacle  of  tlie  torments  to  be  inflicted 
©n  the  prison^!!'. 

<)n  the  (hiy  fixed  for  tills  exliil)iti()n,  of  which  the 
Indians  were  as  fond  as  tln^  Jioinans  weri;  of  the  fi,«rht8 
of  their  irradiators,  or  o+'  the  nmtihuion  of  hnnian  Leings 
hy  wild  beasts  in  tlu  ubove  which  sat  civilization 

in  the  inipi'rial  shape  .     a  Ctesar,  two  posts,  ten  feet 
long,  wer<^  driven  into  the  gi-onnd ;  another  ])ost  was 
placed  transversely  at  the  distance;  of  two  feet  from  the 
soil,  and  another,  transvei-sely  ulso,  at  the;  distance  of 
five  feet  from  tlie  om^  below.     Then  the  arms  and  legs 
of  the  patient  were  tied  to  the  four  right  angles  wliii-h 
M-ere  thus  fornu'd.      Before  this  was  done,  however,  the 
warrior  whos<     )risoiu'r  he  was,  stunned  him  with  the 
blow  of  a  wooden  tomahawk,  and  raised  his  scalp.     A 
large  fire  W!is  made  u\\  and  every  one,  lighting  a  long 
reed,  a})pli(Hl  it  to  some  pai-t  of  the  'prisoner's  body.     It 
was  then  that  the  Indians  taxed  their  ingenuity  to  inflict 
the  keenest  torment,  and   he  who  succeeded  in  extract- 
ing from  tin;  sulferer  a  ery,  or  any  demonstration  of 
pain,  was  rapturously  ajyplauded.      IJuf-,  this  satisfaction 
was   very  seldom  obtained.      Comnuinly,   the    j)atient 
disj)hiyed  unbroken  fortitude,  and  the  impassibility  of 
inanimate  matter.      Fai-  from  weei)ing  or  beo^nng^  for 
mercy,  he  sang  as  if  in  detiance  of  his  enemies^  In^iped 
upon  them  every  oi)probrious  epithet  that  he  thought 
calculated  to  kindh;  their  fury,  aiul  never  c(\'ised  to  pi-o- 
voke  their  resentnu'ut  mitil  death  stoi)ped  his  voice.    It 
sonu^times  hap])eiie(l  that  some  tiMider-lu^arted  woman, 
wishmg  to  i)ut  an  end  to  his  prolonged  agony,  gave  him 
a  blow  which  cheated  his  tormentors  of  tlieir  prey.    Not 
unfreqnently  also,  a  young  widow,  whose  mate  had  died 
in  the  war,  took  him  for  her  husband,  and  thus  saved 
him  from  the  horrible  deatli  to  which  lie  w;is  destined. 


'     . 


rORTIFICATIONS  OP  THB  INDIANS. 


327 


Tlie  Indiuris  understood  the  art  of  making'  fortifica- 
tions Huiiicicntly  Htroiinr  to  resist  the  means  of  assault 
whifh   vvei'e  ]>roii<rlit  to  hear  ufjon  tlieni.     Trunks  of 
trees,  of  a  eiivuinfer(;nc(!  of  six  f(;et,  Avne  driven  five  or 
six  feet  into  the  ground,  h-avinir  ten  feet  out  witli  sliarp- 
ened  tops.     The  joints  of  these  posts  were  streno-thened 
insi(h)  hy  the  application  of  other  posts  of  the  diameter 
of  one  foot.     This  wooden  wall  was  ])i-oteeted  outside 
by  towers  erected  at  the  distance  of  forty  steps  from 
one  another.     Its  inside  was  suppoi'ted  ])y  an  elevation 
or  bank  of  eai'th  thi-ee  feet  wide  by  three  in  height 
which  l)ank  was  lined,  to  keep  the  earth  compact,  with 
green  branches  and  leaves  serried  toi^ether  by  strong 
stakes.     They   showed    great   intelligence   in   opening 
loopholes;    and  all  along  their  walls,  about   five  feet 
above  the  jvai'apet  of  earth  of  which  I  have  spoken 
they  had  a  sort  of  pentice  made  with  branches  and 
8plintei's  of  wood,  as  a  protection  against  grenades.     In 
the  center  of  the  fort,  they  j)lanted  a  tree,  the  branches 
of  which  had  been  lopped  olf  at  about  nine  inches  from 
the  trunk,  so  that  they  might  serv(i  to  go  uj)  to  the  top 
where,  when  necessary,  the  Indians  ])laced  a  sentinel  to 
watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy.     Hound  this  tree, 
or  laddei",  they  constructed  several  cabins,  or  sheds,  as 
an  asylum  fV)r  the  women  and  childi'en  against  fallino- 
arrov.s.     Round  the  fort  were  several  fortified  houses, 
which  were  its  out[)osts  and  dej)endencies :  they  were 
useful  in  times  of  peace,  as  relieving  the  fort  from  many 
of  its  encumbrances;  but  when  a  serious  attack   was 
made,  they  were  generally  al)andoned  after  a  short  re- 
pistance.     If  you  cut  the  wicker  strings  which  bind  the 
hoo})  of  a  barrel,  and  if  you  fling  that  hoop  on  the 
ground,  the  figure  which  it  will  form,  when  both  ex- 
tremities of  the  hoop  lie  a])art  and  get  loose  from  each 
other,  will  represent  the  fort  and  its  entrance.      This 


t 

f 

i 

■\vi:-' 

.'i: 
a. 

'1' 
1. 

1 

1 

'     j 

1 
j 

1 

ill 

,'  :' 

.,'■•'  ■ 

/  ■ 

.i 

■     . 

{ : 

i,i 

^;:i:i 

i  ,1 


■W 


'■.rif'Mi 


•n 


828 


THE  INDIANS  CAREFtTL  OP  THEIR  LIVE3. 


entrance  always  fronted  some  sti-eara  or  spring  from 
whicli  Avater  was  procured,  and  was  defendeii  by  a 
truncated  tower.  In  cases  of  extreme  danger,  tliis  pas- 
sage was  hloeked  up  with  every  kind  of  briers  and 
thorny  shrubs. 

Wlien  a  nation  was  so  l)adly  defeated  that  it  feared 
entire  desti-uction,  it  applied  to  another  nation,  the 
mediation  of  wliich  it  invoked,  thr,>ugh  ambassadors 
whocarried  presents.  If  the  victor  rtyected  this  media- 
tion, the  conquered  nation  aljandoned  its  territory,  and 
mcorporat(Hl  itself  n  ith  the  nation  for  whose  protection 
It  had  sued. 

I  have  already  said  that  the  Indians,  although  gene- 
rally l)rave,  were  extremely  economical  of  tji-ir  Tives 
In  imitation  of  Dioniedes  and  Ulysses  before  tin,  walls 
ot  Iroy,  and  of  other  heroes  elsewhere,  they  deli<dited 
in  munh'ring  their  enemies  when  asleep,  l>ut  in  s],'ite  of 
all  their  i)rudence,  yet  some  of  them  Avere  killed  occa- 
sionally ;  and  then  they  were  scalped,  when  possible.,  l)y 
their  own  companions,  who  were  anxious  not  to  leave 
m  the  hands  of  their  enemies  such  tropliies  and  ],roofs 
ot  victory.     There  was  another  circumstance  which  con- 
tributed to  ren.ler  their  wars  less  ch^structive  than  ours 
and  which  would  throw  some  embarrassment  in  the  way 
of  our  modern  generals.     Thus,  when  the  party  that 
had  gone  on  a  war  ex])e(lition  returned  home  with  the 
loss  ot  some  warriors,  the  war-chief  paid  an  in<hMnnity 
to  tlu-ir  families.     A  very  humane  and  considerate  pri 
vision  tor  bar)>arians  to  think  of,  and  a  powerful  check 
on  the  wanton  sacrifice  of  lives  by  military  leaders 

Ihe  Indians  were  not  free  from  some  of  those  vices 
which  are  so  prevalent  among  us,  and  which  a  lii<di 
Btate  of  moral  and  intellectual  cultivation  has  failed  ''so 
far  to  eradicate.  For  instance,  gamesters,  although 
held  in  bad  repute,  were  common  among  them-  and 


INDIAN  GAMING  AND  GAMES,  329 

there  was  one  particular  ,irame  Avl.ich  they  preferred 
al,ove  all  otluTs.     It  conl.l  be  played  hy  Uvo  cnly- 
one  darted  a  long  pole,  in   the   shape  of  a  hishois 
cross,  and  at  the  same  time,  before  the  pole  fell  to  the 
ground,  Iiurled  down  on  its  ed-e,in  the  same  direction 
a  heavy  circular  stone  in  the  shape  of  a  wheel,  while! 
the  other  player  also  flnn.i,^  his  j.ole.     lie  whose  ])ole 
was  nearest  to  tlu.  stone  when  it  stopped  rollin.^,  won  a 
point,  and  had  the  throwing  of  both  pole  and  stone 
which  was  a  great  advantage,  as  he  could  measure  their 
velocity  so  as  to  make  th<>m  meet.     As  it  is  witli   us 
the  Iiuhans  generally  began  with  playing  for  trifles  but 
when  excited,  they  raised  their  stakes,  and  ende.l  .'.ften 
by  osmg  all  their  worhlly  possessions.     Human  nature 
IS  always  the  same  at  bottom,  however  modified  it  may 
ho  at  the  surface,  whether  it  remains  in  the  ori-iual 
nakedness  of  ))arl^arism,  or  conceo's  itself  under  the 
varied  garnuMits  of  civilization. 

The  women  also  had  their  game,  but  it  was  a  very 
innocent  one,  l)ecause  they  never  staked  any  thin-  for 
ear  of  offending  their  husbands.     They  played  t]ire(, 
by  tliire,  with  three  pieces  of  ditferently  painted  reeds 
nme  inches  long,  with  one  side  flat  and  the  other  con- 
vex.     One  of  the  players  Indd  the  three  pieces  in  her 
open  ijalm;  one  of  the  other  players  struck  them  with 
u  small  rod.     They  fell  to  the  ground,  and  if  two  of 
the  i-eeds  had  their  convex  sides  up,  it  constituted  the 
winning  of  a  point.     This  certainly  was  a  very  sinless 
way  for  the  Indian  ladies  of  fashion  to  while  away  a 
wearisome  hour. 

The  French,  so  famous  for  their  politeness,  were 
struck  with  the  innate  courtesy  of  the  Indians,  and  have 
expressed  their  admiration  in  pages  which  are  now 
lynig  before  us.  If  an  Indian  met  a  Frenchman,  he 
went  up  to  him,  took  and  s.pieezed  his  hand,  and  with 


if 


'} 

l:(l 

j 

'i  (  '  : 

I 

i'lt' 


«i 


330 


NATUKAL  l'()LITi:\KSS  ()|.    rilK  INDIAN. 


a  ircntlc  iiicl'mjitioii  of  the  lioa.l,  cxclaiiiKMl,  '-  /v  If  thou, 
nni  friiiu/f  and  if  lie  Imd  nothing  to  say  woitliy  of 
uttcraiuv,  he  i)ass<'(l  on  without  iiidiilninLr' i,,  i,ll,.",.,„i, 
vi'isatioti--a  proof  of  iiifinite  _i,'ood  sl'Iisu,  and  a  thing 
well  (h'scrviiiij^  of  imitation. 

Sliould  an  Indian  overtaken  a  Frenchman  in  walkins^, 
he  never  would  pasn  before  him,  and  wouhl  i)atiently 
follow  behind  at  some  distanee.  But  if  in  a  hurry,  he 
would  deviate  from  the  ])ath,  take  a  lon,!,^  circuit  so  us 
to  ke(!|)  out  of  the  strani^^er's  siirlit,  and  come  hack  to 
liis  direct  way  at  a  considei-able  distance  ahead. 

On  their  receivin;?  a  visit,  they  shook  the  visitor's 
liand,  and  after  a.  W^w  words  of  <rreetin<,'-,  they  invited 
him  to  sit  down,  ocnerally  on  a  l)ed  used  for  this  })ur- 
l)ose.  Then  a  i)rofonnd  silence  was  obsei-ved,  until  the 
visitor,  after  a  few  minutes  of  rest,  thou,<,dit  proper  to 
speak.  After  he  had  spoken,  the  wife  of  tln^  peis(m 
who  was  visited  l)rou<rht  what  victuals  she  ini<rht  have 
ready,  and  hei"  husbaml  said  to  the  visitoi",  '•mA"  It 
was  necessary  to  taste  of  every  thills^  that  was  pre- 
sented,  otherwise  it  would  have"  been  looked  upon  as  a 
demonstration  of  contem|)t  or  fastidiousness. 

However  numerous  the  Indians  niin-ht  be  when  they 
met  to  converse,  thei'(!  was  but  one  who  spoke  at  a 
tinu',  and  he  was  n»>ver  interrupted.  In  their  public 
councils,  the  ,i,n-eatest  decoi-um  prevailed,  and  each  one 
in  his  turn,  if  he  chose,  addressed  the  meetino-,  which 
was  composed  of  as  fvood  listeners  as  any  orator  niii^dit 
wish  for.  When  a  question  had  l)een  discussed,  juid 
had  to  be  })ut  to  the  vote,  a  <piarter  of  an  hour  was  al- 
lowed for  t,il.Mt  meditation,  and  Jien  the  sense  of  the 
assembly  was  taken.  The  impetuous  volubility  of  the 
French  was  to  them  a  matter  of  sur])rise ;  and  they 
could  not  help  smilinir  when  they  saw  the  French  talk 
together  with  such  vehement  gesticulations,  all  of  them 


Manners  of  the  Indians. 


Ill 


331 


speabnc.  at  the  same  time,  and  none  of  tlioin  list^ninr. 

Le  1  a,i.e  du  IVaf,  rolaten  wit],  .i^nvat  sin,,,]i,.ity  ,.f  lu-aiT 

that  he  had  remarked  the  sniih,  which  flitted  <„,  the 

lips  ot  the  Indians  <„,  such  oceash.ns,  an.l  that  for  nmre 

than  two  years  he  lia.l  in<|uired  of  th.;  Indians  f„r  the 

cause  ot  it,  witliout  ol.tainin-  any  other  answe.-  tlian 

this  one-"  inaf  /.v  it  to  theef   It  doe,  not  cou^em  thee^^ 

At  last,  one  of  them  yioldin.c.  to  In's  solicitations,  said, 

My  t,-,end,  do  not  Ix,  an-ry  then,  if  I  tell  thee  the 

trutli,  which  l.y  thy  importunity  is  forced  (,ut  (.f  me. 

It   we  snnle  when  we  see  the   Fr<.ncli  talk  tc^other 

It  IS  because  we  are  exceedingly  ann.se.j,  and  because 

they  put  ns  ni  mind  of  a  cackling  ilock  of  frightened 


If  the   I^rencli  admitted    that  the  Indians  were  as 
polite  as  themselves,  it  can  not  be  denied  that  these 
bfirbanans  were  also  more  careful  observers  of  the  rules 
ot  hygieine  than  their  mercurial  pale-faced  brothers 
ln,r  instance,  they  never  conhl  ])e  persuaded  to  eat  of 
the  sk.llt.,lly-made  dishes  of  the   Frenc-h,  because  they 
saul  that  tluiy  were  afraid  of  the  ingr-edients  which  en- 
tered into  their  composition.    Jh(,y  never  ate  salad  nor 
any  thing  raw  or  uncooked  except  ripe  fruit,  and  they 
never  could    relish   wine.      Unfortunately,    tlu^se  men 
who  w(Te  so  remarkabh,  for  their  enlight'ened  sobriety 
in  every  thing  else,  could    not  resist   the  fatal  allure- 
ments of  brandy,  known  in  their  language  as  the  ^ive 
liquov,  and  they  thoroughly  despised   the  French'for 
mixing  it  with  water. 

In  one  respect,  they  were  supericn-  to  every  nation  of 
antuiuity,  or  of  modern  times.  The^j  atn  onh,  wJru  they 
were  han.jn,,  and  therefore  had  no  fixed  hour  for  their 
meals,  nor  .lid  they  eat  tr. aether,  tlie  ]>romptings  of  the 
stomacii  not  being  the  same  with  all.  The  only  ex- 
ception was,  when  a  feast  was  given :  then  the  men  ate 


'  \\ 


\ 

i 

'J 

1 

i 

?! 
i 

:1 

i 

-1- 

1 

-M 


332 


THE  TEMPLE  OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


l)y  messes  or  coni[.aiiios,  all  out  of  the  same  dish,  and 
the  women,  adults,  and  children  stood  apart,  doing  the 
same  among  themselves.  When  the  Indians  were  sick, 
they  retrained  to  the  last  moment  from  calling  a  i)hy- 
sician  to  their  aid,  and  behaving  Avith  as  nuich  sense  as 
could  have  [jossessed  the  sevcMi  wise  men  of  Greece  put 
together,  they  abstained  from  their  ordinary  food,  and 
lived  entirely  on  gruel  Avater. 

But,  in  some  of  the  preceding  pages,  I  have  been  de- 
sciibing  manners  common  to  all  the  Indian;.^.     I  return 
to  the  Natchez  in  particular.     The  temj)le  of  the  vil- 
lage where  their  sovereign  resided,  was  built  near  a 
small  stream,  on  a  mound  eight  feet  high.     This  temple 
was  thii'ty  I'cct  S(|uare.     The  corner  posts  were  of  one 
foot  and  a  half  diameter,  and  of  one  foot  for  the  other 
posts.     The  space  betwecm  the  posts  was  filled  up  by  a 
mud  wall  nine  inches  thick.     To  secure  the  solidity  of 
the  edifice,  the  posts,  which  Avere  twenty  feet  long,  were 
driven  ten  feet  into  the  ground,  leaving  therefVn-e  an 
elevation  of  ten  feet  from  the  floor  to  the  ceilimr.     The 
apsis  of  the  temi)le  fronted  the  ea.st:  the  inside  Avas 
divided  into  two  unequ^d  comi)artinents,  by  a  thin  wall 
running  from  east  to  west.     In  the  laigest  room  there 
was  a  table  or  altar,  six  feet  in  length  by  two  in  witlth, 
and  four  feet  in  height.     It  supported  aVeed-ljasket,  or 
coffin,  in  which  Avere  deposited  the  bones  of  the  hist 
Great  San.     There  also  the  eternal  and  sacred  fire  was 
kept.     In  the  small  room,  there  Avere  sundry  small  ob- 
jects  of  adoration,  the  nature  of  which  the  Indians  never 
would  explain  to  the  European  visitors,  and  which  the 
eye  could  not  ascertain  on  account  of  the  darkness  of 
the  room.     The  roof  of  the  temple  went  tapering  np, 
and  its  apex  was  only  six  feet  long.     There,  sat  three 
wooden  birds,  twice  as  large  as  a  common  goose.    Their 


1'^  I. 


THEIR  CARE  OF  THE  DEAD. 


333 


feathers  were  paint.,1  wl.ite,  with  a  sp7-inkling  of  red. 
TheHe  Inrds  i'tu-od  tlie  East. 

The    ],lel.eiuns    were   not   permitted    to   enter  the 
temple.     It  was  aoeessil>]e  only  to  the  Suns  or  nol.les 
and  to  such  strangers  of  distinction  as  were  permitted 
to  visit  It  with  tlie  express  consent  of  tlie  Great  Sun 
who  was  botli  tlie  Sovereign  and  the  High  Priest  of 
the  nation. 

The  sacred  fire  was  fed  l,y  the  eiglit  guardians  of  the 
temph>  with  the  wood  of  the  wiiite  walnut,  stripj.ed  of  its 
bark.  Ihe  ,>gs  were  eiglit  inches  in  <liameter,  by  eight 
feet  in  length.  Death  to  the  guilty  guardian  or  gu.ml- 
Kins,  was  the  consecpieiiee  of  the  extinguishment  of  the 

No  nation  on  the  face  of  the  globe  ever  had  more  re- 
spect for  the  dea<l  than  the  Indians  of  America,  and 
particularly  the  Natchez.     At  their  funerals,  they  gave 
uiidoubte.1  signs  of  the  truest  and  most  unbounded  .?rief 
for  the  departed.     They  did  not,  like  the  Greeks'' and 
Romans  practi<.o  the  usage  of  burning  the  dead  l)odies 
so  as  to  keep  their  ashes  in  sculptured  urns,  to  be  ^re- 
served  undt-r  the  domestic  protection  of  household  ..ods 
But  they  temporarily  placed  the  dead  in  coffins  made 
of  reeds,  where  the  necessary  j.rocess  of  decomposition 
was  tobe  undergone,  and  on  which  they  continued  for 
some  tim(^  to  deposit  articles  of  food  as  a  tribute  of  love 
an(i  remembrance,  and  as  a  demonstration  of  their  wil- 
lingness still  to  minister  to  wants,  which  unfortunately 
no  longer  existed.     When  nothing  but  the  dry  bones 
remained,  they  were  transferred  to  wicker  coffers  which 
were  laid  up  m  small  temples  or  private  chnpels     These 
temples  of  the  dead  were  hardly  distinguisha])le  from 
the  ordinary  dwellings  of  the  Indians,  except  it  be  by 
ilie  wooden  imitation  of  a  human  head  hangin-  over 
the  door.     Nothing  can  exceed  the  veneration  which 


i 

i 

i 

■  i 

i  I 


''i  ■ 

1 

1;   ,             I      i 

1 

334   REFLECTIONS  ON  THE  CARE  TAKEN  OF  THE  DEAD. 

thoy  ciitertuined  for  tlie  clierisliod  relics  of  their  ances- 
try ;  niul  iiiore  thai)  one  Indian  nation,  when  eniigrat- 
ini,^  carried  away  the  parental  bones,  to  which  they 
cluii..-  with  an  intenseness  of  passion,  hai-dly  to  be  con- 
ceived in  these  our  days  of  worldly  ])hilos()])hy. 

^  AMio  cares  now  for  the  dead,  exce])t  the  surgeon,  for 
dissec-tiiig  purposes,  or  the  sexton,  for  hi,^  fee  i     Who 
caivs  for  the    dead  in  tliis  utilitarian  age?     To  what 
practical  use  can  they  be  tui-ned,  except  to  make  coat 
buttons,  or  knife  handles,  or  whistles,  with  their  bones  ? 
Who  tliinks  of  the  dead,  excei)t  it  ])e  to  i-etlect  on  the 
direful  necessity  they  impose  upon  us,  of  having  un- 
heal Hiy  gi-ave-yards,  and  to  devise  the   means  of  strip- 
pnig  these  i)laces  of  solemn  re])ose  of  their  frigid  as])ect, 
and  to  convei't  them  into  pleasure-gardens,  where  the 
tombs,  or  what  ])urports  to  l»e  sue./,  are  decked  in  gay 
colors,  pagan  ornaments,  and  a  meretricious  look :  and 
instead  of  teaching  morality  and  religion,  leave  the  mind 
of  the  visitor  free  to  discuss  its  ordinary  pui-suits  of 
pleasure   or  of  gain,  and  invite   the  lover's  haiul  to 
snatch  the  rose  growing  out  of  his  tather's  dust,  to  pre- 
sent it  to  his  lady  love,  who  stands  by,  and  smiles  on 
the  i)r()fane  donation,     l^^y  !    Who  cai-es  foi-  the  dead  ? 
Is  It  he  who  sells  his  ancestral  portraits  at  the  auction- 
eer's shop,  or  inventories  the  very  sheets  of  the  (h-ath- 
bed,  to  ascertain  their  value,  and  to  secure  the  strict 
distribution  of  every  dime  of  their  worth  among  the 
greedy  claimants?     There  is  a  land  where  I  have  de- 
scen(K-dinto  family  vaults,  in  which  a  solitary  lamp  cast 
a  dubious  light,  making  darkness  visil)l(>.    'There  lay, 
in   august   repose,    twenty  generations,  side   by   side! 
Theiv,  the  imposing  severity  of  the  marble  monuments, 
and  the  austere-looking  statues  of  the  dei)ai'ted,  sleep 
ing  so  solemnly  on  the  top  of  their  own  tondis.— There, 
the  soul-moving  records  of  the  past,  often  chiseled  by 


m 


U 


DEATH  OF  STUNG  SERPENT. 


335 


ances- 


the  himd  of  genius.— Thei-e,  the  time-honored  inscrip- 
tions.— Inhere,  that  i)ec;uliar  smell  which  remiiKls  one 
of  breathing  the  atmospliere  of  anti({uity.— There,  every 
thing  impressive,  awfully  monitoiy,  aiul  Christian-like! 
There,  profane  tliought  was  put  to  flight,  and  muuchme 
mirth    wjw   chilled    into   reverential  sobriety !      As  I 
came  out  with  a  heart  overflowing  with  emotion,  and 
my  siglit  rested  on  tlie  moss-covered,  swallow-tenanted 
turrets  of  the  family  mansion,  wliere,  foi-  centuries,  the 
same  i-ace  of  pe()i)]e  liad  dwelt  in  joy  or  in  sorrow,'  my 
eyes  became  suffused  with   Involuntaiy  tears,  and  tliis 
indistinct  and  half-muttered  expression  of  my  feelino-s 
rose  ui)  to  my  lips :  "  Blessed  be  tlie  land  wlier(>,  there 
are  such  connecting  links  between  the  dead  and  the 
living !" 

]n  l7:.^'),  StuHf/  Serpent,  of  whom  I  have  spoken  when 
relating  the  first  expedition  of  Bienville  against  the 
Natchez,  in  17 lO,  dei)arted  from  his  beautiful  native 
hills  overhanging  the  bed  of  the  father  of  rivers,  and 
went  on  his  Hnal  i)ilgrimage  to  the  worhl  of  spirits. 
The  better  to  illusti'ate  the  nuinners,  laws,  and  customs 
of  tlie  Natchez,  I  shall  recite  what  occui'red  on  that 
occasion.  Although  I  shall  confine  myself  to  a  strictly 
historical  narrative,  I  believe  it  will  be  found  not  des- 
titute of  dramatic  and  romantic  interest. 

Stung  Serpent  being  dangerously  ill,  the  chief  of  the 
guardians  of  the  temple  came  to  h\)rt  Rosalie  to  inform 
the  French  of  this  fact,  and  to  let  them  know  that  the 
Great  Sun,  the  brother  of  Stung  Serpent,  according  to 
a  mutual  j)romise  not  to  survive  one  another,  had  deter- 
mined to  redeem  his  j)ledge  to  the  dying  man.  This 
was  a  startling  information,  because  the  death  of  these 
two  chiefs  at  the  same  time,  was  calculated  to  he  a 
heavy  blow  to  the  nation  on  account  of  the  number  of 
victims  that  would  be  sacrificed  iu  their  honor.     The 


lii^!^ 


i: 


nd@ 


THE  GREAT  SUN  RESOLVES 


commander  of  Fort  Rosalie,  nccompanled  by  le  Page 
du  Pratz  and  others,  hastened  to  the  chief  villa<^e,  to  in- 
quire  into  the  circumstances  of  the  case.    They  found 
the  Great  Sun  in  his  Iiut,  and  with  liini  they  went  to 
visit  8tun,<,'  Serpent.     It  soon  became  evident  to  the 
Frencl),  tliat  tlie  f^icl^  prince  had   breatlied  his   hist. 
But  the  (ireat  Sun  was  still  in  doubt,  and  when  the* 
French  were  preparini,'  to  retire,  he  stopped  Le  Pago 
by  the  arm,  and  said:  ^' OnitlguUlataiioup-colieiiogd'--' 
*'  is  he  dead  truly  ?    What  dost  thou  say  T    le  Page  an- 
Swei-ed/^Noco,"  "I  do  not  know"— in  order  to  prolong 
an  illusion  which  lie  <lid  not  wish  suddenly  to  destroy. 
The  French  accompanied  the  Great  Sun  back  to  his 
dwelling,  into  which  he  invited  them.     As  soon  as  he 
crossed  his  threshold,  be  exclaimed,  <'My  brother  b 
dead"~and  he  scpiatted  down  with  Ins  head  sunk  on 
bis  breast,  and  his  hands  covering  his  eyes.     On  hear- 
ing these  words,  the  Great  Suii'f*  wife  uttered  fearful 
shrieks,  which  were  echoed  all  round,  and  went  multi- 
plying through  the  village,  every  hut  resounding  with 
wailings  and  hunentations.    Then,  muskets  were  iired 
to  notify  the  neighboring  \'illages,  which  in  their  turn 
answered  the  tiring.     A  short  time  al^er,  the  Great 
Sun*s  woi'd-bearei\  or  cJianceUot^  came  in  and  wept. 
The  Great  Sun  raised  his  head  and  looked  nicaiiliigly 
at  his  wife,  who  threw  water  on  the  hearth  and  extiii- 
guished  the  fire.     At  this  sight,  the  word-hearer  saluted 
the  Great  Sun  with  a  howl,  and  departed.    As  soon  aa 
he  was  out  of  the  hut,  lie  uttered  a  frightful  shriek, 
which  was  taken  up  by  all  the  peo[)le  of  the  village, 
and  it  went  on  wildly  spreading  from  echo  to  echo, 
through  every  village.     The  sliriek  of  the  word-hearer 
had  given  the  Natchez  to  understand  that  the  Great 
Sun  had  ordered  the  fire  of  his  own  hearth  to  be  ex- 
tinguished, and  therefore'  that  every  other  fii'e  was  to 


TO  SACRIFICE  HIMSELF. 


S37 


he  put  out:  which  portended  the  approachinr.  death  of 
the  sovereigu.     Hence  this  universal  lamentation. 

Lc  Page  du  Pratz,  who,  for  several  years,  had  been 
on  a  footing  of  intimacy  with  the  Stung  Serpent  and 
with  the  Great  Sun,  a])proached  that  sovereign,  who 
was  still  squatting  on  the  floor,  and  tapping  him  on  the 
shoulder,  said,  "Hast  thou  ceased  to  be  a  man  since 
thy  brother's  death  ?     Thy  people  inform  us  that  thou 
art  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  thy  lite,  through  grief, 
and  because  thou  art  too  weak  to  bear  thy  loss  with 
the  heart  of  a  warrior.     Thy  French  friends  can  not 
believe  that  thou  art  such  a  coward.     Tell  them,  there- 
fore, that  thy  people  do  not  understand  thee  ri<ditly. 
Swear  to  us  that  they  are  mistaken,  and  that  thoirshait 
not  commit  the  vile  suicide  which  they  suspect."     The 
Great  Sun  looked  up  at  Le  Page,  and  answered  calmly: 
*-"  Kest  assured  that  I  no  longer  think  of  it.     Farewell 
then,  and  sleep  in  i)eace.     Tlie  night  steals  u])on  us 
apace."      IIo«-ever,  there  wi^s  something  in   his   eye 
which  contradicted  his  words,  and  the  French,  not  al- 
together trusting  to  his  declaration,  left  at  his 'door  a 
soldier  to  watch  his  doings.     They  went  buck  to  the 
Stung  Serpent's  dwelling,  and  they  found  his  corpse 
stretched  in  ponij)  and  in  full  dress  on  his  bod.     His 
face  was  painted  with  vermilion,  his  foet  were  encased 
m  beautifully  embroidered  nioccasons,  and  his  head  was 
encircled  with  the  crown  of  vvhife  and  red  feathers,  iis 
a  prince  of  the  royal  bK.od.     His  weapons  were  sus- 
pended all  round  his  bed,  and  consisted  of  a  double- 
barreled  gun,  a  pistol,  a  bow,  a  quiver  foil  of  arrows, 
and  a  tomahawk.     There  were  also  to  he  seen,  osten- 
tatiously displayed,  all  the  calumets  of  peace  which  had 
Dcen  tendered  to  him  dui'Jng  his  lifotime,  to  sue  for  his 
ni(!rcy  oi-  protection.     At  the  head  of  his  bed,  stood  a 
red  pole  supporting  a  chain  made  of  reeds,  painted  red, 


III!.. 

t    '  !l 
'''  lij 


'     1:  M' 


1  ■  ■  V 

'    ■    i   ■ 

i*                 '    1 

'I   M 


[t!i  i 


'iflf'i 


m 


I 


ii? 


338 


FUNERAL  OBSEQUIES  OF  STUNQ  SERPENT. 


and  composed  of  forty-six  rings.  The  rings  meant  the 
liuiiiher  of  f<jes  he  liad  killed  in  war. 

All  the  peo})le  composing  the  household  of  the  prince, 
stood  round  him  in  the  attitude  of  mourners.  At  cer- 
tain hours,  as  if  he  had  been  alive,  food  was  l)rought  to 
him :  and  as,  of  course,  it  remained  untasted,  his  body 
servant  would,  every  time,  break  out  inti)  the  same 
monotonous  lamentation:  "  Why,"  said  he,  "wilt  thou 
not  acce])t  of  our  offerings  ?  Dost  thou  no  longer  relish 
th)--  favoi'ite  dishes  ?  llast  thou  any  reason  to  be  dis- 
pleased with  us,  and  dost  thou  reject  our  services  as 
disagreeabh^  to  thee  ?  Ah  !  thou  dost  not  speak  to  us 
as  it  \\i\H  thy  Avont.  Wherefore,  thou  must  be  dead. 
Well,  then,  all  is  ovei' — our*  occupation  is  gone — and 
since  thou  leav(vst  us,  we  will  follow  thee  to  the  land  of 
Bpirits."  He  conchuhsd  every  time  this  expostulation 
with  the  Indian  death-cry,  whicih  wtus  I'epeated  by  all 
the  people  present,  and  which,  from  mouth  to  mouth, 
outside  of  the  hut,  was  to  be  heard  swelling  up  in  the 
distaiu'e,  leaping  fi-om  \illnge  to  village,  and  ending 
with  one  appalling  cliorus,  which  congealed  the  blood 
within  the  heart.  There  also  stood  in  the  hut  of  the 
iStung  Serj)ent,  besidtw  his  favorite  wife,  a  second  one, 
wdiom  he  used  to  k(H'p  in  another  village — his  wood- 
bearer — his  physician — his  bo(ly-s(n'vant — his  ])ipe-bear- 
•er — and  some  old  Avomen.  They  were  all  destined  to 
he  sti-angulated  at  his  funeral,  to  keep  company  with 
•the  dead  in  the  other  world,  whither  he  had  irone. 

A  woman  of  noble  birth,  who  had  carried  on  an 
nmour  with  Stung  Sei'i)ent,  whom  slie  had  not  been 
able  to  marry,  since,  as  it  will  l)e  recollected,  the  nobles 
could  not  marry  any  om;  of  their  class,  put  hci'self  vol- 
untarily among  the  nundier  of  those  who  were  to  ac* 
company  th(^  dead  to  the  world  of  spirits.  She  Wfis 
called  by  the  French  "  La  Gloricui'e,^^  or  "  thejyrond^^  on 


GRIEF  OF  THE  STUNG  SERPENT'S  WIFE.  339 

acconnt  of  her  majestic  figure,  of  the  haughty  expression 
ot  iier  face,  and  because  she  consented  to  hohl  inter- 
course  witli  none  of  the  French  except  those  of  noble 
birth.     She  was  acquainted  with  the  virtues  of  a  .'•reat 
many  medicinal  plants,  and  this  female  Esculapius  had 
saved  the  lives  of  many  of  the  sick  among  the  French. 
Ihe  Stung  Serpent's  favorite  wife  seeing  how  sadly  im- 
pressed  the  French  were  with  the  spectacle  which  waa 
ottered  to  them,  addressed  them  in  these  terms  :  "  Cliiefa 
and  nobles  of  France,  I  see  how  much  you  regret  my 
huslmnd.     Truly,  his  death  is  of  much  consequence  for 
the  French  a.s  well  as  f(„-  our  nation,  because  he  carried 
them  all  in  his  heart.     Whenever  the  French  chiefa 
spoke  to  him,  their  words  dwelt  forever  in  his  ears 
He  trod  the  same  path  with  the  French,  and  he  loved 
them  more  than  his  own  self     Now,  he  has  ascended 
to  the  world  of  spirits ;  in  two  days  I  shall  be  with  him 
and  tell  him  that  1  have  seen  your  hearts  grow  heavy 
at  the   sight   of  his   dead  body.     When  I  am  gone 
frenchmen,  remember  that  my  children  are  orphans' 
remember  that  you  have  loved  their  father,  and  let 
the  dew  of  your  fnendship  tall  plentifully  on  the  chil- 
dren  of  him  who  has  always  been  the  friend  of  the 
French."     After  this  speech,  she  resumed  her  seat  with 
dignified  composure. 

The  night  being  far  advanced,  the  French  retired  to 
a  lodge,  which  had  been  prepared  for  them,  but  they 
rcpiested  the  servants  of  the  Great  Sun  to  watch  hirn 
closely,  and  if  they  saw  any  thing  suspicious,  to  give 
them  timely  information.  At  daybr(?ak,  a  breathless 
messenger,  trembling  with  agitation,  rushed  into  the 
apartment  where  the  French  slept,  woke  them  up,  and 
told  them  that  the  Great  Sun  was  attempting  his'  life. 
Hastily  dressing  themselves  with  such  of  their  clothea 
as  they  could  put  their  hands  on  in  the  dark,  they  ran 


Ii' 


h 


' !  (; 


'M 


t? 


.It 


Ir- 


340 


THE  GREAT  SUN  ATTEMPTS  HIS  LIFK 


to  the  Great  Sun's  dwelling.     There,  every  thing  was 
in  the  wildest  uproar  and  confusion.     The  presumptive 
heir  to  the  throne  was  struggling  with  the  sovereign, 
and  trying  to  Avrest  from  his  hands  the  gun  Avith  which, 
it  appears,  he  had  shown  the  intention  to  put  an  end  to 
his  life.     A  number  of  nobles  and  men  of  consideration, 
whom  the  excess  of  fear  seemed  to  have  palsied  into  a 
trance,  stood  looking  on  without  daring  to  interfere.   Le 
Page  went  up  to  the  Great  Sun,  laid  his  hand  gently  on 
the  gun,  and  said, "  What !  yesterday  the  noble  sovereign 
of  the  Natchez  swore  to  me,  his  friend,  that  he  would 
not  kill  himself;  that  he  was  a  man,  and  that  I  might 
rely  on  his  w<ml.     To-day,  what  has  Ijecome  of  that 
word?     What  has  become  of  that  man?     Art  thou 
both  a  liar  and  a  coward  ?     Speak  !"     At  these  words 
he  dropped  the  gun,  stared  at  Le  Page  with  a  vacant 
look,  then  rubbed  his  eyes  as  if  awaking  from  a  dream ; 
and  as  if  consciousness  had  suddenly  returned,  he  ex- 
tended his  hand  to  him,  covered  his  tace  and  wept. 

When  the  nobles  saw  the  success  obtained  by  Le 
Page,  they  advanced  one  after  the  other  to  shake  him 
by  the  hand,  but  without  uttering  one  word.  The 
silence  became  so  deep  that,  although  the  room  was 
crowded  to  suffocation,  the  light  buzzing  of  a  Hy 
would  have  been  heard. 

.  Looking  round,  Le  Page  saw  that  the  wife  of  the 
Great  Sun  still  continued  to  be  in  a  state  of  great  per- 
turbation. He  approached  her  and  inquired  if  she  was 
sick.  She  answered,  "  yes  ;"  and  then  sinking  her  voice 
into  a  whisper,  she  said :  "  Stay  awhile  with  us.  If 
not,  my  husband  dies,  and  tlien  woe  to  the  Natchez. 
Remain  by  his  side,  for  it  is  to  thy  voice  alone  that  lie 
listens.  ^  Thy  voice  is  weighty,  and  at  the  same  time  it 
is  as  pointed  as  an  arrow.  Who  would  have  dared  to 
speak  to  him  as  thou  didst?     Who  would  have  sue- 


THE  GREAT  SUN  PREVAILED  UPON  TO  LIVE     341 

ceeded  half  so  well  ?  But  he  knows  thee  to  have  been 
the  true  friend  of  his  brother,  and  to  be  now  his  owa 
best  friend.  We  all  respect  thee,  for  thou  art  not 
eternally  laughing,  as  the  French  always  do.  When 
thou  spokest  to  the  Great  Sun,  didst  thou  observe  how 
all  eyes  feasted  on  thee,  and  how  all  ears  drank  thy 
words  ?  Yes ;  thy  words  have  all  been  garnered  up  in 
our  hearts."  ^ 

In  compliance  with  this  touching  appeal,  Le  Page 
du  J  ratz  moved  silently  to  the  side  of  the  Great  Sun 
who  extended  his  hand  to  him,  and  said  in  a  loud  voice 
so  as  to  be  heard  l,y  the  whole  assembly,  "My  friend 
there  is  so  much  grief  in  my  heart  that  my  eyes  al! 
though  open,  have  not  seen  that  the  French  were  stand- 
ing  up.  My  mouth  has  forgotten  to  invite  them  to  sit 
down.  What  will  they  think  of  this  churlish  want  of 
courtesy  i  I  pray  thee  to  excuse  me  with  them,  and  to 
tell  them  to  take  seats." 

Le  Page  an^^wered  that  no  apology  was  necessary; 
that  the  French  were  well  acquainted  with  his  good 
bree.lmg,   and    would    leave  him   for   the   present  to 
enjoy  the  rest  of  wliich  it  was  evident  that  he  stood 
m  need.     "But,"  added  he,  "I  shall  cease  to  be  thy 
friend,  if  thou  dost  not  order  fire  to  be  lighted  on  thy 
health,  antl  if  thou  dost  not  command  the  same  to  be 
done  in  the  dwelling  of  every  one  of  thy  people.     If 
thou  compliest  ^itli  my  request,  I  shall  stay  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  funeral  of  thy  brother;   and  when  it  is  over, 
I  must  insist  on  thy  coming  to  my  house  to  break  the 
fast  of  grief  and  eat  the  meal  of  consolation."     The 
Great  Sun  pressed  the  hand  of  Le  Page  in  silent  acqui- 
escence, and  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  he 
looked   round  with   inexpressible  majesty,  and  said; 
"Since  the  chiefs  and  nobles  of  France  love   me  and 
wish  me  to  live,  be  it  so ;  my  life  is  safe  in  my  own 


Ijii 


■?'i  V' 


■t  ' 


312 


REHEARSAL  OP  THE 


keeping;  let  all  the  fires  be  relighted.  I  will  wait  un- 
til  natural  death  reunites  me  to  my  l)rother.  I  am  old 
and  can  not  tarry  long.  In  the  mean  time,  I  will  walk 
in  the  path  of  the  French.  Mad  it  not  been  for  them, 
I  should  have  been  now  with  my  brother,  and  to  do 
ine  honor,  the  hills  of  the  Natchez  would  have  been 
Strewed  with  the  dead." 

Emboldened  by  their  success,  the  French  strongly  re- 
monstrated  against  the  absurd,  inhuman,  and  fatal  cus- 
tom so  lung  ol)served  by  the  Natchez,  to  sacrifice  so 
many  lives  on  the  death  of  one  of  their  chiefs.     Jiut  all 
that  they  obtained  was,  that  the  numl)er  of  victims 
should  be  restricted  to  the  two  wives  of  the  dead  chief, 
to  his  physician,  his  word-bearer,  his  body-servant,  his 
pipe-bearer,  and  some  old  women.     "All  the  people 
composi^ng  my  brother's  household  must  die,"  said  the 
Great  Sun,  "  because  they  are  his  mmt  and  mchiah 
It  can  not  be  otherwise."     On  that  day,  an  old  woman 
who  was  called  the  wiehed,  and  who  had  committed 
some  crime  or  other,  was  put  to  death,  and  a  plel)eian 
child    was   strangulated    l)y   its    father    and   mother. 
Strange  to  say,  this  hon-il)le  crime  raised  the  murder- 
ers above  the  class  of  tlie  stinking,  to  which  they  be- 
longed,  and  transformed  them  into   nol)les.     On   that 
day  also  there  was  twice,  in  the  morning  and  in  tlie 
evening,  a  minute  rehearsal  of  the  tragedy  which  Mas 
to  be  acted  on  the  day  of  the  funeral.     Thus,  the  irrand 
master  came  out  in  full  official  costume  from  the  hut  of 
Stung  Serpent,  accompanied  l:)y  the  two  widows,  the 
word-bearer,  tlio  pipe-bearer,  the  physician,  the  body- 
servant,  and  the  old  women  who  were  destined  to  die. 
They  inov(^d  in  solemn  procession,  each  of  the  victims 
being  attended  ])y  eight  of  its  nearest  kinsmen  or  rela- 
tions,  whose  duty  it  was  to  put  them  to  death.     One 
carried  an  uplifted  tomahawk,  with  which  he  now  and 


FUNERAL  SERVIca 


343 


tien  threatened  to  strike  the  victhn ;— another  one,  the 
mat  on  which  the  doomed  was  to  sit  down ;— a  third 
the  strangulating  rope ;— the  fourth,  carried  tlie  deer 
skin,  which  was  to  he  tlirown  over  the  head  and  shoul- 
ders  of  the  victim ;— the  fifth,  a  wooden  bowl  with  five 
or  six  large  })ills  of  tobacco,  which  w^r^  administered 
to  the  patient  before  undergoing  strangulation ;— the 
sixth,  a  small  earthen  bottle  containing  a  pint  of  water, 
which  the  victim  was  allowed  to  drink  to  facilitate  the 
passage  of  the  jnlls.  The  two  other  persons  who  fol- 
lowed,  were  destined  to  put  themselves  on  the  right 
and  left  of  the  poor  suffering  wretch,  in  order  to  dniw 
the  I'ope  tight,  and  to  make  the  opei-ation  as  quickly 
effective  as  possible. 

The  eight  persons  who  attended  in  this  way  every 
one  of  the  victims,  became  nobles ;  and  therefore  to  be 
one  of  them  was  an  advantage  which  was  much  coveted. 
These  executioners  and  future  nobles  walked  two  by 
two  in  the  rear  of  the  victims,  whose  hair  was  painted 
red,  and  who  held  in  the  right  hand  the  shell  of  a  i-iver 
tnmde,  usually  measuring  seven  inches  in  length  by 
three  or  four  in  breadth.  As  to  the  executioner's,  they 
wore  red  feathers  tied  to  the  long  tuft  of  plaited  hair 
which  hung  down  on  their  left  shoulder,  and  their 
liands  were  painted  red.  On  reaching  the  public 
square  where  the  temple  stood,  the  persons  who  were 
to  die,  and  their  executioners,  shouted  togethei-  the 
death-cry ;-— every  victim  i)ut  himself  on  his  mat  and 
executed  on  it  the  death  dance,  -v\hile  the  executioners 
did  the  same  round  tiif^m.  It  was  the  most  ai)palling 
epectacle  that  the  imagination  could  conceive.  After 
each  rehearsal,  the  procession  returned  iu  the  same 
order  to  the  hut  of  the  deceased. 

On  that  day,  a  half  serious,  half  ludicrous  accident 
took  place.    Au  Indian,  named  Ette-Actal,  w.is  led  to 


i 


■■     !r     i'il 


344 


ETTR-AOTAL 


mm 


I* 


il' 


the  (iivnt  Sun,  nndor  t1i(«  oscort  of  tliirty  nion.    'nils 
Indian  had  ninmcd  a  n-nialc  Sun,  and  on  ,icr  dcaili,  liln 
fate  was  to  !„■  sacriliccd,  aocordino^  to  the  irood  „Id  ',.„,^ 
toin  ol'Iiis  nation.    Hnt  Ktt.'-Actars  mind  liapiu-nod  t.)  ho 
in  advaiu-cortlie  tv^r  in  which  Ii,.  liv(-d,  an.l  ht;  thon-Iit 
that  to   runaway  and   to  save   his   life,   was  a   phUo 
Bophical   iiMiovation   to  whicii  it  nii-ht  l)c  prolitahii-  to 
fall  the  attention  oftho  Natch,./,  and  of  which,  at  any 
rate,  he  <)ni;lit  to  make  the  expcriincnt.     l»nttin<,'  into 
action  his  ideas  of  reform,  ho  took  to  his  canoe  and  putl- 
<Ih'(l  lustily  down  the  Mississippi  to  New  Oi-leans,  where 
lie  placed  himself  under  the    protection   of   liienvijto 
of  whom  h(>  l.ecame  the  voluntary  slave,      lint  the  lovo 
of  country  was  stron-r  in  him,  and  now  and  then,  he  ob- 
tained  permission  to  visit  his  friends  and  relations  amon^ 
the  Natchez,  al't.'i-  he  felt  assured  that  from  the  laps,,  of 
time  since  ih,'  linuTal  ,.f  his  wite,  and  on  ai-eount  of  the 
8itnati,)n  h,.  ,),rupi,.,l  in  relati,)n  to  Hienvill,.,  th,^  <,n>r- 
crn,)r  of  Louisiana,  h,'  had  no  lon-er  any  thini,^  to  leap 
from    his  ,-ountrym,.n.       Ihit  now   that, 'iJionvUle  had 
l)o,.n  iv,all,.d  to  Flan,',.,  an,l  that  tii,"  i)rosenco  of  Ktte- 
Ac'tal  in  the  villa.ov  ,)f  th,.  Natchez  ha<I  r,>min,l,.,l  theitt 
of  th,>  ol,l  .iel.t  he  ha,l  ,.mit(,.,l  t,.  pay,  tlu'v  had  nr- 
roste,!  him  with  the  intention  of  puttin-  him'to  deutli 
at  th,"  fun,'ral  ,>f  the  Stnni,''  Sei-pent. 

Wlnm  this  Indian  foun,l  himself  a  prisoner  in  tlielmt 
of  th,"  ,leceas,.,l,  without  any  liope  of  escai)e,  he  lH>oati 
to  ^iv,.  the  most  une,pnv,)cal  si,o-,is  of  ,lespair.  At  tliU 
si-ht,  the  favorite  wife  of  Stuni^  Serpent  strode  im 
Lauirhtdy  to  him,  an,l  sai,l:  "Art  thou  not  a  warrior P 
"  Yes,"  answere,!  h,.,  with  a  fivsh  i^ush  of  tears.  "And 
yet  thou  weepest,"  continue,!  she.^  "Is  life  so  dear  to 
tho,^  ?  If  it  be  so,  it  is  not  meet  that  thou  shonldsfe 
come  with  us.  Ilcnee— ])egone— i^o,  thou  cowar,!,  and 
live  a.-.)ng  women."     "  Certainly,"  exclaimed  Ette-Ao- 


nia  rusitLANiMiTT. 


345 


tal,  «IIf«  h  (lour  to  mo,  and  I  wish  to  Iceep  it  for  my 
own  uses  niid  purposes,  niid  I  should  be  happy  to  live 
ftiiK.n,!,'  \v«)in('r>,  as  thou  s.aycst,  in  the  hoju;  of  leaving  a 
hviTi'  post,(!i-ity  ol'  i-hildicn."     (Jivatly  incensed  nt  thta 
cynical  retort,  tlie  princess  repeated  with  incr«\'ised  ve- 
henience:  "Ifenco,  cowanlly  dog!     It  is  ii(,t  decent 
that  thou  shouldst  jiolhitc*  us  with  thy  company  in  our 
wny  to  tho  world  of  spirits.    Thy  soid  Ixjlongs  to  the 
earth,  and  there;  let  It  rot  with  thy  body.     Hence— let 
mo  not  see  thee  again  T     Never  was  order  o])eyed  with 
more  alacrity,  und  Ktte-Actal  vanished  with  tho  rapid- 
ity oflightnlng.     lint  on  that  day,  three  decrepld  old 
Wonien,  who  W(;ro  related  t(.  hini  in  Mood,  and  whose 
jnfirniities  had  disgusted  thein  with  life,  iAYviv.d  to  die 
in  his  place,  and  that  substitution  was  acc(;i)te(t.     'J1iis 
Volinitary  sacrilice  of  those  thi-eo  kinswomen  of  Ette- 
Actal's,  not  oidy  secured  to  him  his  life  for  the  future, 
but  from  a  pletxMan,  or  .s-tinkiiuj,  that  he  was,  raised 
birn  to  be  a  man  vf  con.^lihrafioti.     Thus,  lieing  borne 
onward  by  tho  title  of  f.rtune,  says  Lo  J*ag(;  du  Pratz, 
Ette-Aotal  became  insolent,  like  an  u|)startthat  he  was^ 
and  Jivailing  himself  of  th((  instructions  he  had  received 
among  the  French,  he  went  on  cheating  his  coimtry. 
men  without  stint,  and  showed  himself  a  most  accom- 
plished rogue. 

On  the  day  of  the  funeral,  the  French  proceeded  to 
the  dwelling  of  the  (Jreat  Sun,  to  pay  him  a  ceninnmial 
visit;  mid  Stung  Serpent's  favorite  wife,  knowing  that 
they  were  there,  came  to  l)id  tlumi  a  last  adieu.  She 
bad  brouglit  her  children  with  her,  and  she  addressed 
them  in  these  words  in  the  presence  of  the  P'l-ench  \-^ 
"The  death  of  ^uur  father  is  a  severe  loss.  He  tarries 
for  me  to  accompany  him  to  the  world  of  spirits,  and  I 
must  not  keep  him  waiting  long.  I  am  anxious  to  de- 
pnrt,  b,.cuuse  since  my  busbaud's  death,  I  walk  on  this 


li 


III' ' 


I  i 


346 


FAREWELL  ADDRESS  OF  STUNO  SERI'KNT'a  WIPR 


earth  with  a  heavy  step.     Witli  roirard  to  yon,  my  chU- 
dren,  you  are  very  youn,cr,  and  you  liuve  hef'ore  you  a 
lon.tf  imth,  throu,o:li  which  you  must  journey  witll  pru- 
dence  in  your  minds,  and  l.ol.hicss  in  your  liearts,  taking 
care  not  to  tear   your  feet  with  tlie  l,rand)les  of  du- 
phcity,   and    the  sliarp-cdf^^cd    flints  of  dishonesty.     I 
leave  to  you  the  keys,  l,ri-lit  as  you  see,  and  free  from 
rust,  of  the  inheritance  of  your  fatluT,  and  of  my  own 
wo,-ldly  possessions.      Take  them:    you  will  fiml  our 
cofters  full  of  corn.     N^^ver  speak  with  an  evil  ton-ue 
of  the  French:  walk  in   their  jKith  without  deceit"  as 
your  father  and   myself  have  done:   treat  them,  and 
love  tliem  as  we  have.     Be  true  to  them,  and  they  will 
sui)ply  your  wants:— if  they  do  not,  al.stain  from  com- 
plaint, and  wait  until  justice  opens  their  hearts  to  your 
merits.     They  were  the  friends  of  your  father ;  tliere- 
fore,  if  they   wronger  yo„,  ht  foririven(jss  tread  on  the 
heels  of  the  offense.     And  you,  French  chiefs,  continue 
to  befriend  the  Natchez:  he  lilx-ral  and  kind  to  them: 
do  not  he  too  harsh,  and  too  exacting  in  your  barters 
and  exchanges  with  your  red  brothers,  and  look  with 
the  eye  of  the  dove  on  the  errors  which  they  may  com- 
mit."    Perceiving  that  one  of  the  French  wjis  so  nioved, 
that  tears  came  into  his  eyes,s]ie  said,—"  Do  not  weep! 
—it  is  T^■omanly— altliough  you  may  well  regret  the 
loss  of  such  friends  as  my  hnsl)and  and  myself,  ''instead 
of  weeping,  let  us  feast  together.     So  far,  I  have  never 
tasted  meat  with  the  French,  because  it  would  not  have 
been  becoming  in  a  woman :  but  I  am  at  liberty  to  do 
so,  now  that  I  am  going  to  the  woi-ld  of  spirits."'     And 
turning  to  her  attendants:  "Let  victuals  be  brouo-ht 
plentifully,"  she  said,  "Stung  Serpent's  wife  and  the 
French  chiefs  must  eat   together,  before  parting  for- 
ever."    The  French  were   struck  with   admiration  at 
the  surprising  firmness,  the  extraordinary  elevation  of 


THE  FUNERAL  OF  STUNO  SERPENT. 


347 


sentiments,  the  queen-like  (l,>nity  of  inannor  displayed 
by  this  woman,  and  they  wondered  at  the  infinite  tact 
and  skill  with  which  she  was  contrivini?  to  secure  for 
her  children  their  i)rotecti()n  and  fri«mdship. 

The  temple,  the  hut  of  the  iStung  Serpent,  and  that 
of  the  Great  Sun,  were  situated  in  front  of  a  public 
square,  which  was  in  the  center  of  the  village.     On  the 
day  of  the  funeral,  the  French  took  their  st!ind  on  the 
artificial  mound,  on  which  tin-  hut  of  the  Great  Sun  was 
built,  and  from  that  elevated  i)osition  they  had  a  full 
view  ot'  all  the  ceremonies.     The  Great  Sun  did  not 
make  his  appearance,  and  remained  wrai)ped  uj)  in  the 
privacy  of  grief.     At  the  hour  appointed  for  the  ob- 
sequies, the   master   of  the  ceremonies,  with  a  semi- 
crown  of  red  feathers  on  his  brows,  i)resented  himself 
at  the  door  of  the  Great  Sun.     He  held  in  his  rio-ht 
hand  a  red  pole  in  the  shape  of  a  bishoi)'s  cross,  fi-om  the 
head  of  which  hung  down  a  garland  of  black  feathers. 
The  upper  part  of  his  body  was  painted  red,  with  the 
excepti(m  of  his  arms;  which  signified  that  his  hands 
were  never  dipped  in  blood.     He  wore  from  his  waist 
to  his  knees,  a  sort  of  half  tunic,  which  was  ornamented 
with  alternate  rows  of  white  and  red  feathers.     After 
having  taken  the  commands  of  the  Great  Sun  for  the 
ceremony,  the  grand  master  went  to  the  dwelling  of 
Stung  Serpent,  which  he  saluted  with  a  howl,  in  tc^ken 
of  respect,  and  he  then  shouted  the  death-cry,  which 
was  echoed  back  by  the  whole  village.     The  corpse  of 
Stung  Serpent,  carried  on  a  litter  by  eight  men,  of 
whom  six  were  the  guardians  of  the  temple,  came  oui 
in  state.     The  grand   master  of  ceremonies  took  the 
lead,  followed  by  the  oldest  wari-ior  of  the  nation,  who 
carried  on  a  pole  the  chain  of  reeds,  which  recoi  ded  the 
number  of  men  killed  in  battle  by  Stung  Serpent,     In 
the  other  hand,  he  held  a  calumet  of  war,  as  a  sign  of 


^  aw 

ii     |«| 


i,    .        ■  . ,'   ' 
I 

'         1  1 

1  : 

M 

I*,    t  j: 


i 

1 

i ' 

1 

It'  ■    s 

"''>': 

848 


CLOSING  SCENE-INTERMENT  OF  STUNG  SERPENT. 


I    .1. 


the  princely  cligrilty  of  the  deceased.     Then  came  the 
body:— after   which,   tlie   victims.     The   whole   train 
went  tliree  times  round  the  dwelling  of  Stung  Serpent, 
and  then   ]iroceeded  toward   the   temple,   describing 
circles  within  circles,  so  that  if  their  stei)s  had  ]>een  im- 
printed on  the  ground,  they  would  have  formed  to  the 
eye  something  like  a  chain  of  rings,  extending  from  the 
dwelling  of  Stung  Serpent  to  the  temple.     Every  time 
the  carriers  of  Stung  Serpent  had  completed  one  ring, 
and  were  entering  into  another,  the  man  whom  I  have 
mentioned,   as   having  strangulated  his   child,   threw 
down  its  corpse,  so  that  the  dead  body  of  Stung  Ser- 
pent should  pass  over  it,  and  picldng  it  up  again  by 
one  foot,  he  continued  the  same  oi)eration  until  the 
funeral  train  reached  the  temple.     This  deed  infernal 
made  of  this    unnatural  father  a   member  of  the  no- 
bility. 

When  the  procession  arrived  at  the  temple,  the 
tragedy  which  had  been  rehearsed  twice  on  the  pre- 
ceding day,  was  acted  in  eai-nest,  and  the  victims  were 
l)iit  to  death  according  to  the  in-ogramme.  The  body 
of  Stung  Serpent  was  deposited  inside  of  the  temple  on 
the  riglit,  and  his  two  wives  slept  in  the  same  tomb. 
La  (Honnise,  or  the  proud,  was  buried  outside  of  the 
temple,  to  the  right,  and  the  word-bearer  to  the  left. 
The  other  bodies  wei-e  transported  to  the  villages  to 
which  they  respectively  belonged.  To  conclude  the 
ceremony  according  to  the  ancient  rites  of  the  tribe,  fire 
was  set  to  the  dwelling  of  Stung  Serpent,  and  it'waa 
bu-nt  to  the  ground. 

The  French  wended  their  way  back  to  Fort  Rosalie, 
reflecting  and  commenting  on  the  strange  scenes  to 
which  they  had  stood  witnesses.  One  of  them,  Philippe 
de  Chamilly,  a  beardless  officer,  celebrated  for  the 
recklessness  of  his  disposition,  the  sprightliness  of  his 


REFLECTIONS  OF  PHILIPPE  DE  CIIAMILLY 


349 


conversation,  the  exuberance  of  his  animal  spirits,  hut 
who  under  apparent  thoui^htlessness  and   tlie  utmost 
carelessness  of  deportment  concealed  steadiness  of  pur- 
pose, well-digested  plans  of  ambition,  and  the  keen- 
sighted,  far-seeing  sagacity  of  a  shrewd  and  strong  mind, 
had  remained  moody  and  silent.     It  was  so  foivign  to 
his  habits,  that  it  struck  his  companions,  who  rallied 
him  on  his  extraordinaiy  taciturnity,  and  asked  him 
whether  he  had  been  crossed  by  the  apparition  of  Stuim- 
Serpent's  ghost.     "  No,"  said  he,  "  gentlemen ;  it  would 
not  have  produced  such  a  painful  imj^ression  upon  me 
as  the  daily  demonstration  of  a  foot  wliich  puzzles  my 
phdosophy.     How  is  it  that  man  nevei'  obeys  the  im- 
pulses of  his  heart  without  doing  something  \vhich  his 
reason  reprobates,  as  calculate.l  to  inteifere  with  his 
welfare,  his  safety,  and  ^u-osperity  ?     Although  my  as- 
sertion is  not  conducive  to  morality,  and  althouo-h  I 
confess  that  it  sounds  like  a  lil)el  oii  the  divine  g''ood- 
ness,  yet,  as  I  do  not  stand  here  in  the  pulpit  of  the- 
ology, or  do  not  speak  from  the  mountain  as  a  lawgiver, 
I  do  affirm,  much  to  my  regret,  that  according  to  my 
short  experience,  a  man  who  begins  his  career  has  to 
choose  between  tliese  two  guides— the  heart  and  the 
head.     They  never  agree;  and  one  leads  to  perdition 
as  surely  as  the  otlier  to  success  in  this  world,  however 
different  it  may  be  after  death.     For  instance,  when 
we  interfered  to  prevent  that  mahogany-looking  block- 
head of  a  barbarian,  tlie  fJreat  Sun,  from  butcherin<^ 
half  of  his  people  in  lionor  of  his  dead  l)rother,  and 
persuaded  him  not  to  commit  suicide,  which  would  have 
been  also  a  death- warrant  for  a  good  many  of  his  sub- 
jects, we  acted  according  to  the  dictates  of  our  hearts. 
We  have  })een  sentimental  and  romantic,  to  be  sure, 
but  have  we  behaved  with  common  sensc^  ?     We  lay 
our  handij  on  our  hearts,  and  we  say  with  self-compla- 


I 


n 


jV 


■111 


i 


f 


350  REFLECTIONS  OP  PBrLIITE  DE  CHAMILLT. 

cency—wliat  generous,  noble,  humane  fellows  we  are  I 
But  \vliat  says  reason,  that  sound  little  politician  we 
have  in  the  head?     It  cries  out  to  us,  ye  are  fools! 
and  IS  It  not  true  ?    Is  it  not  our  interest  to  destroy  or 
to  weaken  jus  much  as  we  can  those  untamal)Ie  wild 
leasts,  who  have  to  this  day  so  materially  interfei-ed 
with  our  purposes  of  colonization,  and  who  may  one 
day  lai>  our  blood  like  ti<vers,  if  they  ever  have  a  favor- 
a^le  opi)ortunity?     Which  of  us  is  simple  enough  to 
believe  that  those  Indians  do  not  see,  with  secret  but 
deadly  hostility,  our  gradual  encroaclmients  on  their 
lands  i    Bo  you  think  that  they  do  not  feel  that  their 
existence  and  oui's  can  not  contimie  long  side  by  side, 
and  that  one  must,  sooner  or  later,  make  M'ay  for  the 
other.     If  this  ])e  the  decree  of  fate,  why  not  "facilitate 
Its  execution,  and  thereby  avert  the  dangers  and  l)lood- 
shed  which  may  be  the  resultof  our  maudlin  generosity 
or  bastard  humanity,  so  suicidal  for  us,  and  so  fruitless 
for  those  it  was  intended  to  benefit.     What  course  then 
had  we  to  pursue  on  this  occasion  ?     Why— a  ])lain 
one—It  Wfis,  In  order  to  diminish  the  numl)er  of  our 
enemies,  to  encourage  those  stupid  savages  in  their  ne- 
farious  j)ractices,  to  stimulate  their  pride,  and  t(»  show 
great  admiration  at  the  magnanimou.s  courage   with 
which  t]wy  are  ever  ready  to  sacrifice  themselves  on 
the  tombs  of  their  chiefs.     We  ought  to  hav(^  assisted 
m  tying  the  ropes  round  the  necks  of  half  of  those  red 
devils,  and  of  making  the  other  half  ])ull  tlie  murderous 
strings,  while  we  should  have  stood  by  enjoying  the 
joke  and  cracking  our  sides  with  laughter.     Huch  would 
have  l)een  the  policy  of  Louis  th.'  Xlth,  a  ])retty  wise 
statesman  of  ours,  who  said,  that  *the  smell  emaiuiting 
from  the  corpse  of  a  fo(?  was  the  sweetest  of  i)erfum(!s.' 
O,  shame  !    This  would  have  been  cruel  and  barbai-ous ! 
I  do  not  deny  it.     JJut  finally  to  compass  the  destruc- 


MEDICAL  KNOWLEDOE  OF  THE  NATCHEZ. 


S51 


tion  of  those  people  must  be  the  inevitable  consequence 
of  the  position  you  have  assumed  toward  them.    A  man, 
if  he  be  not  a  fool,  must  be  a  lo<riciau  in  virtue  or  'm 
crime.     If  he  makes  up  his  mind  to  rob  and  to  oppress 
he  ou-ht,  in  self-defense,  to  take  away  life  from  the 
oppressed,  when  for  his  victim  lie  has  no  further  use. 
Mark  the  words  of  him  whom  you  take  for  a  thouo-hti 
less,  inexperienced  stripling.     As  we  have  acted  Avith 
Christian  charity,  and  o/,r;/<,l  He  heart,  we  may  be  re- 
warcU'd  for  it  in  the  kin-.hjni  of  bliss  above ;  but  as  we 
have  dm-egarded  the  head,  and   been  ])olitically  f.olish 
we  shall  be  punished  and  suffer  for  it  on  this  side  of 
the  gi-ave.     So  the  conclusions  of  my  speech  keej,  tune 
with  Its  premises.     But  a  truce  to  my  graA-ity—Fort 
Rosalie  is  in  sight.     Supper,  thank  (Jed,  a  French  sup- 
per— not  an  Indian  one,  must  be  ready.     I  cheerfully 
droj)  the  soothsayei'  to  be  no  more  than   a  boon  coin- 
panion   over  a  merry  cui)."     Four  years  had   hardly 
ela])sed,  before  the  priidietiou  was  accomplished.     The 
whit(!  flag  wjus  pulled  (h)wu  fn.m  Fort  Rosali**  by  the 
hand  of  an  Indian  warrioi-,  and  the  whole  French  cnl- 
ony  at  Natchez  was  visited  with  complete  destruction. 

The  advanced  state  of  tlu;  medical  art,  which  is  pre- 
sumed  always  to  keej)  pace;  with  the  other  arts  and 
Bciences,  may  therefore  be  ivcelved  as  a  criterion  of  the 
degree  t)f  civilization  to  wliich  mitions  have  arrived.  If 
we  ju<lgedof  the  Natchez  by  that  test,  we  might  be 
temi.ted  to  believe  and  to  say,  without  much  s.arcastic 
exi.ggei-ation,  that  the  French  could  hardly  claim  any 
snjx'riority  in  tiiat  respect  over  those  barbarians.  For 
all  the  diseases  to  which  the  Natchez  were  subjected 
their  ])hysicians  were  .p.ite  as  skillful,  if  not  more  so' 
than  the  French.  If  tlu-y  were  powerless  against  the 
Bmall-pox,  by  which  they  wei-e  threatened  to  be  aunihi. 
lateil,  and  which  was  a  recent  European  importation 


Ki- 


:'  If 


■:i|»|- 


Hi 


i   ■  I 


m 


::n\ 


952 


MEDICAL  llEMEDIEg 


against  winch,  mitll  IMy^  tlxy  Imd  never  felt  tlie  ne- 
cessity  ot  -iiar.lin-  tli<.ins,-h-,.s,  tliey  did  not,  Avitli  re- 
gard to  tl.at  si-oiMv^e,  show  tlien.selves  more  ii,niorant 
than  our  modern  j-hysic-ians,  mI.o,  in  si)ite  of  their  pro. 
found  .st.uhes,  and  of  tlie  MTitten  information  wliich 
comes  to  th<.m  from  every  part  of  tlie  Avorhl,  and  from 
the  experience  of  so  many  (-enturies,  are  invariahly  be- 
Wihlered  and  miseral.iy  impotent,  wlienever  humanity 
IS  attacked  by  one  of  those  nnknoNvn  diseases  Avhich 
from  time  to  time,  ar(^  so  sud.h.nly  and  so  mysteriously 
generatecl.     The  Natdie/  understood  the  art  of  l)lood- 
lettm-  with  the  cup  ov  the  lancet,  and  of  every  sort  of 
scarihcation,  not  omittin-  ti.e  ai)p]ication  of  the  moxa 
just  as  well  as  any  K.culapius  of  tlie  present  day,  al' 
thou^i^di  operating  with  (lilfereut  means.     The  system  of 
hydropathy  was  not  unknown,  and  cold  bathin-  and 
vapor-baths   were  much   in  i)ractice.      In   provokino. 
perspn-ation,  in  usln-  frictions,  in  adniinisterin-  drastic^ 
and  in  applym-  other  devices  of  the  healino-'art  they 
were  imt  so  inferior  to  our  rac(.  as  niii^dit  at  first  be 
thought  by  those  learunl  nu-u  who  hoKl  their  diplomas 
trom  tlie  m(>dical  faculti.s  of  Loiuh.i,  and  Paris. 

It  may  not  1,(.  witliout  interest  to  enumerate  here  a 
feAV  ot  their  ivnie.lies.  Tims,  in  cases  of  diarrhea  and 
dysentcM-y  they  used  with  much  effect  a  kind  of  bread 
«iade  with  the  pounded  fruit  of  the  persimmon-tree, 
which  they  dned  up  <.ither  in  an  oven  or  }>y  exposure 
to  the  sun.  I  hey  had  discovered  the  balsam  of  the  co 
pal-tive  to  be  an  excellent  febrifuge.  First,  pum-inc 
the  patient,  they  administered  to  him  ten  or  tw^dve 
drops  o  this  balsam  sev(Tal  times  a  <lay,  and  an  liour 
or  two  b(.fore  the  ])atient  had  ("aten  any  thin-  If  they 
were  troubled  with  ulcers,  wounds,  solvs,  .Vrc,  thev  aiv 
plied  for  several  days  on  the  diseased  part.s  a  poultice 
ot  the  ground  ivy,  m  ell  pounded,  and  afterward  they 


or  THE  NATCHEZ. 


353 


wa«he,l  „,„1  ,lve.,e,l  those  wounds,  ulce«,  &o.  with  the 
Wsa„.  ot  e^pal,  which  wa,  also  very  powerful  in    he 
aftecfons  o    tl.o  chest  a„,l  howels,  in  eases  of  „,«tn  c! 
.ons,  of  relaxafons,  *e.  *e.     In  fact,  it  was  for     ,e 
Imlmnsa  universal  panacea,  aucl  like  pood  wine  it    ' 
saul  to  have  gla,l,lcne<l  the  heart.     Another  feln'iL" 
o  great  virtue  and  a,  efticaeious  as  c,ui„ine,  was  the  rJd 
Sr  m  of  the  magnolia.     The  grain  of  the  wax-tree 
-iled  .n  water  gave  an  astringent  beverage  which  pro. 
winced  all  the  good  etttct,  of  ipecacuanha.     For  ,m]t 
nary  cuts  or  gashes,  the  root  of  the  cotton-tree  afforded 
them  a  precious  remedy.     If  they  .sufter,..l  from  the 
stomacl,,  they  took,  as  tea,  an  infusion  of  the  leaves  of 
the  casj^u.  herry-tree.     If  they  had  the  tooth-ache,  they 
ewed  a  p.ece  of  "fo/,,  ,A„„„,„.,fe,"  or  of  the  a'eae  ( 
an,Uli,  pam  ,vas  gone;  .so  that  dentists  would  have 

witirh  '•'";■"•"/,"■'"•  "'■■♦'' "-1-ves  of  the  elderand 
« .th  hog  s  lard  they  reheved  their  pains,  when  proceed- 
.ngfrompdes;  and  no  ague  could  resist  oue'or  two 
rurgatives  followed  l.ya  strong  decoction  of  theZim" 
to-iw,  or  Leai'dd  witluviiid  ^maj^iune 

When  the  Natche.  wished  to  perspire,  so  as  to  cure 
a  cold,  or  to  re-estal,lish  the  function.,  of  the  skin,  they 
.rank  hot  n,f„s,o„s  of  the  China  radi.v.  It  is  said  that 
a.,  ■nfusu.n  of  the  root  of  the  same  plant  was  also  used 
l.y  themasa  speoitie  to  pr,.ve„t  the  hair  from  fallin-, 
or  to  make  it  grow  again  with  mor<.  profusion  th.an  ever 

here  mention  the  faet  for  th,.  heuefit  oftho.se  who  are' 
thieatened  with  baldness.  The  leaves  of  the  China 
radix  were  likewise  employed  in  the  curing  of  wound.s. 

Ihe  Aacliez   w,.re  ae.piaint.Hl  with  the  me.lieinal 
pa  ities  of  the  sassafras,  of  sai.apariUm  and  of  the 

plant  calleil  l,y  the  French ;>/„<  <7e  hoh. 
They  possessed  an  antidote  against  the  bite  of  the 


'■1 


!;: 


I:! 


ih  t 


s 

1; 

':  !■■■; 

■  i 

9  !f 


H\ 


S54 


THEIR  KNOWLRnaR  OF  MEDTCAT.  PLANTS 


rattlesnaTve,  It  consisted  in  chewing  the  onion  or  root 
of  a  plant  wliich  the  Indians  called  oudla-coudlo-gouille, 
and  the  French  Vherhe  a  serpent  a  sonnette-'^^  or  rattle- 
snake planty  which  is  a  literal  translation  of  the  In- 
dian appellation.  After  having  chewed  the  onion,  they 
api)lied  the  residne  to  the  wound.  The  poison  was 
proni])tly  checked,  and  the  patient  recovered  entirely 
in  four  or  fixe  houi-s.  An  application  to  the  forehead 
of  the  pounded  green  leaves  of  the  ground  ivy  cured 
every  headache.  The  old  colonists  used  to  extract  from 
it  a  salt,  which  they  put  in  arcpiebusade  wattM-,  and  it 
was  thought  to  be  an  infallible  remedy  for  the  megrim. 
Those  Indians  astonished  the  French  by  their  rapid 
cures  of  the  most  dreadful  wounds  produced  l)y  fire- 
arms. One  of  their  curative  ingi-edieuts  was  the  i)lant 
known  to  this  day  in  Louisiana  as  the  Choctaw  root. 
They  possessed  the  most  invaluable  secrets  to  cure  the 
dropsy,  the  sciatica,  and  the  fistula  lachryraalis.  I 
could  name  many  other  diseiises  wliich,  if  what  is  re- 
ported is  to  be  taken  as  true,  they  could  master  better 
than  if  they  had  studied  old  Hippocrates.  This  sketch 
is  sufficient,  howevei',  to  show  what  proficiency  those 
Indians  had  attained  in  the  healing  ai-t,  the  most  im- 
portant of  all  to  mankind.  It  certainly  speaks  much 
in  fiivor  of  their  powers  of  observation,  of  investigation, 
and  of  discrimination:  that  they  should  have  arrived  at 
discovering  more  than  three  hundred  medical  plants, 
of  which  the  king's  commissary,  De  la  Chaise,  sent  a 
collection  to  France  with  a  memoir  written  on  the  sub- 
ject l)y  Le  Page  du  Pratz.  The  physicians  ranked  very 
high  among  the  Natchez,  and  were  looked  u])on  as  in- 
spired. Those  people  believed,  that  for  every  disease 
the  (xreat  Spirit  had  provided  a  remedy  in  the  shape 
of  a  plant,  and  that  he  never  refused  to  point  it  out 
to  thv  })hysician,  Avhen  supplicated  in  the  proper  man- 


TRADITIONAL  CAUSE  OF  THEIR  DECLINE.  355 

ner.  ^  Hence,  if  they  awarded  tlie  most  liberal  fees  to  the 
physician  m  cases  of  success,  they  frequently  put  him 
to  death,  when  his  patient  did  not  recover,  on  th^ 
ground  that  it  must  have  been  his  fault,  if  he  did  not 
nnd  out  the  curing  remedy. 

When  the  French  became  acquainted  with  that  in- 
teresting nation,  it  is  said  it  had  much  degenerated 

t  on.     lie  Natchez  vveiv  tlien  tho.iglit  to  be  in  tlie  last 
tage  of  dechi.  ,  and  doomed  to  approaching  and  ineW 
table  destructi  .1.     They  knew  it,  ind  crouched  gloo^^. 
ily  under  that  fatality  wliich,  in  the  days  of  antfpiity 
hung  with  such  terrific  perseverance  over  certain  ind^ 
viduals,  certain  families,  and  even  whole  nations     A 
century  had  hardly  elapsed,  when  the  sacred  fire  lieino- 
accidentally  exting.ushed,  the  guardians  concealed  the 
fact  to  escape  death,  and  relighted  the  altar  with  pro 
fane  and  ordinary  fire.     A  short  time  after,  the  same" 
accident  happened  in  tlie  other  temple,  and  on  its  beinfr 
discovered,  hre  was  procured,  according  to  the  old  cus- 
tom, rom  the  first  temple.     But  it  ^.,, profane  ^e ;  so 
this  the  nation  was  thus  deprived  of  that  celestial  flame 
which   their  great   lawgiver  and   first  sovereign   had 
brought  down  with  him  from  the  Sun.     The  sacrile- 
gious guardian  of  the  sacred  fire,  who  had  concealed 
the  truth,  being  on  his  death-bed,  and  racked  with  re- 
morse, made  at  last  the  awful  confession  of  his  guilt~a 
c.)nfession  which  sounded  in  the  ears  of  the  Natchez  as 
their  death-knell.     From  the  day  when  they  had  lost 
the  hre  from  the  sun,  calamities  on  calamities  had  rained 
down  on  their  tube;  and  although  they  had  sou-ht  to 
remedy  the  evil,  by  taking  fire  from  a  tree  struck  and 
Ignited  by  lightning,  they  felt  that  their  prosperity  w.« 
withering  and  fast  dropping  it^  yellow  leaves,  and  that 
tliere  would  soon  remain  nothing  but  its  naked  and  life- 


M  f 


\ 


■I  ill 


#. 


356 


THE  CHOCTAW  INDIANA. 


iii 


less  trunk  to  l)lacken  and  rot  ar/ay  under  the  wrath  of 
heaven.     Nothing  could  wipe  away  from  their  souls  the 
belif'f  that  the  entire  annihilation  of  their  race  was  at 
hand  ;  and  their  tradition  said  that  the  guilty  guardian, 
who  had  to  answer  for  the  destruction  of  a  whole  na- 
tion, was  locked  up  by  the  Great  Spirit  in  one  of  those 
large  mounds  Avhich  are  to  this  day  to  be  seen  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  present  city  of  Natchez.     Ther-e  he  is 
doomed  to  languish  forever,  and  to  be  eternally  barred 
from  entering  the  world  of  spirits,  unless  he  can  make 
fii-e  with  two  dry  sticks,  which  he  is  ever  rubbing  to- 
gether with  desperate  eagerness.     Now  and  then  a  light 
smoke  issues  from  the  sticks — the  wretch  rubs  on  with 
increased  and  lightning  rapidity ;— and  just  as  a  bright 
spark  begins  to  shoot  up,  the  sluices  of  his  eyes  open 
against  his  will,  and  pour  out  a  deluge  of  tears,  which 
drown  the  nascent  fire.     Thus  he  is  condemned  to  a 
ceaseless  work,  and  to  periodical  fits  of  hope  and  de- 
spair.    It  is  Ixion's  ever-rolling  rock,  or  the  bottomless 
tun  of  the  Danaides. 

The  Choctaws  occui)ied  a  very  large  territory  be* 
tween  the  Mississippi  and  the  Tombecbee  rivers,  from 
the  frontiers  of  the  Colajiissas  and  of  the  Biloxis,  on  the 
shores  of  lakes  Pontchartrain  and  Borgne,  up  to  the 
fro>>+:ers   of  the  Natchez,  of  the  Yazoos,  and  of  the 
Chickasaws.      They  owned  more  than  fifty  important 
villages,  and  it  was  said  that  at  one  time,  they  could 
have  brought  into  the  field  twenty-five  thousand  war- 
riors.    Cliacta,  Chatka,  or  Choctaw,  spelling  it  accord- 
ing to  the  various  pi-onunciations,  means  ehanning  voice 
in  the  Indian  dialect.     It  appears  that  the  Choctaws 
had  a  great  aptitude  for  music  and  singing.     Hence  the 
name  that  was  given  to  them.     Very  little  is  known 
about  their  origin,  although  some  writers  pretend  tliat 
they  came  from  the  province  of  Kamtschatka.     It  is 


CHEF  MENTEUa,  THE  LYIN8  CHIEF. 


mifcii 


357 


Baid  thai  they  muUenly  made  their  appearance,  ancJ 
rapidly  overran  the  whole  country.    That  appearance 
was  so   Kj)oniaueou3,   that  It  seemed  as  if  they  had 
si)rung  up  from  the  earth  like  mushrooms.     With  re- 
gai-(l  to  their  manners,  their  customs,  and  their  degree 
of  civilization,  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  they  had  nmny 
characteristic  traits  in  common  with  the  other  Indian 
nations.     However,  they  were  much  inferior  to  the  Nat- 
chez in  many  respects.    They  had  more  imperfect  no- 
tions  of  the  divinity,  and  were  much  more  sui)erstitious. 
They  wei-e  proverbially  filthy  and  stupid  in  the  estima^ 
tion  of  all  \\'ho  knew  them,  and  they  were  exceedingly 
boastful,  although  notoriously  less  brave  than  any  other 
of  the  red  tribes. 

What  the  Choctaws  were  most  conspicuous  for,  was 
their  hatred  of  falsehood  and  their  love  of  truth.     Tra- 
dition relates  that  one  of  their  chiefs  became  so  addicted 
to  the  \ice  of  lying,  that,  in  disgust,  they  drove  hira 
away  from  their  tei-ritory.     In  the  now  parish  of  Or- 
leans, r)ack  of  Gentilly,  there  is  a  space  of  land,  in  the 
shape  of  an  isthmus,  ])roj(!cting  itself  into  Lake  Pont- 
chartrain,  not  far  from  the  liigolets,  and  terminating  in 
what  is  called  "Pointe  aux  herl)es,"  or  JierhpoinC  It 
was  there  that  the  exiled  Choctaw  chief  retired  with 
his  family  and  a  few  adherents,  near  a  bayou  Avhich  dis- 
charges itself  into  the  lake.     From  that  circumstance, 
that  space  of  land  received,  and  still  retains  the  ai)pel- 
lation  of  "  C/uf  Jlcnfein-;'  or  ''L'jing  Chief :^ 

The  C'hickasaws  ruled  over  a  fertile  region,  which  ex- 
tended from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Tombecbee,  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  state  of  Mississippi,  and  near  tlie  fron- 
tiers of  the  present  state  of  Tennessee.  The),  nu  n^jered 
from  two  to  three  thousand  warriors,  and  were  by  far 
the  most  warlike  of  all  the  Louisiana  tribes.  They  had 
numerous  slaves,   well-cultivated  fields,  and  numerous 


M.» 


I  i| 


itf 


LJ. 


358 


OONOLUDINO  UKMAKK8. 


lionlH  of  ciiftl,'.     They  never  deviated  In  tLeir  attach- 
iiieiit  to  the  Kniclisli,  and  i\uy  l.eemne  exeet^diiiirly  tnw- 
blesoiij.  lo  Jh;'  I'^viicli.    Witii  SOI,,.'  hIuuIch  „f'  diin'.reiico, 
they  h.ul.  i.r,  t1i«.  main,  the  invariuhle  and  well-known 
nttrihutes  of  the  Indian  eliMracter.     Tliecefore,  t..  pnr- 
sue  the  Huhjeet  into  furtlu>r  .h-tails  would,  perhaps,  Tbe 
runnin.ir  the  djiii,!jrer  of  falliiiir  into  the  .Inllnes.  of  mouot- 
onous  and  nninterestin..r  description.     Siinic  ■  H  to  mv 
tliat  th(>y  MOW  th.    Spartans,  a.s  the   Natelie/  wero  ibi 
Athenians,  and  the  (!iio(;taw«  the  HdJothuiH  of  Louisiana. 


iiUCJBTn  LECTURE. 

IkAmrm  ot  not  fttn  or  novKiiNMKNf  to  Nkw  omj  ans— Iih  i»oimii.ation  an* 

Annt*»»K<H  in  IV',ii-*-T)c>rsimiANT,  (l(>vi:iiN<m   ad  intkuim  —  llj  auk  Oodk Kx- 

trUtOK   nr    TIIK  .Tkw« (Uniol.Kl    ItKi.KJK.N    TO    UK    TIIK    HOI.K    HkMHION    ok   Tin 

LA.tO—rKlllliB  *fl'OINT|.:i><l(.Vl;llNoU — I.KAdllK  OK  Al.f    TilK  OKKICKftM  OK  (JoVKHN- 
■KST  AdAlNST     !)K   ».*  ClIAlSK,    TIIK      KiNo's     (^'MMINMAIIV        IIk     TIUHMI'lm     OVKE 

«»>:«  Aix^ltr.niiii.icANiNM   utr  tiik  Coi.oni.sis      I'iik  Ukhui.ink  Nunh  and  tub 

JKNIHTW — rillllK      ImI'ROVKMK.NTH    MA!>K    OK    CONTKMI'I.ATKI)    IIV    (loVKUNOIl    I'lCKIKB 
— t'lNsm    IM     nal  —  Kxi'K.VsKH    OK     TIIK     Ool.ONIAI,    A  UMINIMTIIATION— KdIiT     or 

Mkniiv   TIIK.   SwHiiyu  AOAlNHT  Unmaiuuki)  W omkn— ( )tiikii  Ka(th  and    IOvknts 

VtUM    17-''!    T(»   l7U'i        TllADITKiNS    ON    TIIK    MlIMIO    IIKA     II    AT   TIM      MOUTH  OK  I'aS- 

C«tM)tii»   jUvioa,  XV)-  UM  kuii  Datk  tjikk   at   tuk   cohnku   ok    Daui-iiink   anbi 

OauAN*  STJLKcm 


In  1723,  tli«>  sent  of  ^'oveniincnt  wan  nt  last  an.l  de* 
finitively  traiisfi-rrcd  to  New  Oi'l((iiiis,  mucli  to  tin;  sutLs- 
faction  of  lilcuvillo.  'J'liat  city,  now  so  j)o])u1oih  and  ho 
flom-isli'mi,',  <'(.iitain(i(l  ut  that  tiiiu;  ahont  one  liundred 
very  Ii  nuhl*-  tlwcilingH,  and  betwetai  two  and  tlir(ie 
hundred  souk  All  tlic  streets  vv<;re  drawn  at  rii,dit 
angles,  dlvlilinuf  til.  town  into  sixty-six  scjiiares  of  three 
buiidrod  tVct  each.  Tiie  city  thus  presc^nted  a  fronton 
the  liver  of  eh'veu  s(|iiai'es,  hy  'x  i.  <h'j)th.  The 
Sfjuarei*  were  Ui\ided  into  lots  ui  sixty  feet  fn>ut  on 
the  Htreet,  with  a  dej)th  varyin;nr  from  one  hiin<lied  and 
tw'c  ty  taone  hundred  aiul  fifty.  The  name  o^'  New 
Oncttlis  was  given  to  the  cit  in  compliment  to  the 
Duke  of  i  )rleans,  Kegent  of  France,  au<l  Chart  i  --sti-oet 
was  tailed  after  the  Duke  of  Clu.rtres,  son  of  tn 
Kegent:— Maine,  Conde,  Conti,  Toulouse,  and  Bourhou 
Streets  \v<'re  also  named  afttu-  the  princes  of  the  royal 
tlood,  each  as  the  Piince  of  Conti,  Duke  of  Maine, 


('  '! 


^;-^.i 


f. 

1 

"1 ; 

360 


THE  "GERMAN  COAST" 


Pnnoe  Of  Conde,  Count  of  Toulouse,  arul  Duke  of  Eour- 

Z-        n   ''\  *''"  '^'''^'  '''''  ^>'^"^>''^''l  ^^'itl'  tlie  name 
of  B,onv,llo,  the  f<.un,I(.r  of  the  city,  unci  (leserv.dly  ha-s 
tha    name  l.een  lately  l,ost<nve,l  on  one  of  the  parilies 
of  this  state.     The  only  establishments  ^vhieh  then  ox- 
isted  between  Ne;v  Orleans  and  Natehez,  w.-re  those  of 
MezuM-es  and  St.  Reine,-a  little  l,elo^v  Point  Coupee- 
tins   otDiron  d'Artaguette,  at  Baton  Koui^e ;  that  of 
Fans  Duvernay,  near  Bayou  Manchac;  of  the  Marquis 
dAncenis,    near    Bayou   Lafourche;    of  the   Marquis 
dArt^^^nac,  at   the  Cannes   Brulees,  or  Burnt  Canes  • 
of  n<.  Meuse,  a  httle  lower,  and  of  the  Brothers  Chauvin 
at  Pchoupitoulas.     With  the  exception  of  the  Chauvins 
these  aristocratic  possessors  of  the  virgin  soil  of  Louisi- 
ana were  not  .lestined  to  strike  deep  roots  in  it  and 
their  names  soon  disai>peared  from  the  list  of  the  laud- 
iiohh'rs  m  the  colony. 

In  that  year,  however,  another  settlement,  which  was 
to  grow  rapidly  in  imj.ortance,  was  made  on  that  por- 
tion ot  tlie  Laiiks  of  the  river  which  now  forms  the 
parishes  , ,f  St.  Charles  and  St.  John  the  Baptist.     L'lro-e 
tracts  of  laiKl  were  conceded  to  those  Germans,  whom 
Law  had  sent  from  Alsatia,   to  settle  on  the  twelve 
square  miles  of  territory  which  had  been  granted  to 
him  on  Arkansas  River,  l>y  the  India  Company.     When 
these  (rerman  families  were  informed  of  the  fate  of  Law 
and  saw  themselves  abandoned  to  their  own  resources 
in  that  distant  part  of  the  colony,  they  broke  up  their 
estabhshment,  and  descended  the  IMississippi  in  a  body 
mth  the  intention  of  returning  to  their  native  country! 
But,  fortunately,  they  were  prevailed  upon  to  settle  at 
a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles  from  New  Orleans  on 
a  section  of  the  banks  of  the  river,  which,  from  that'cir- 
cumstance,  drew  the  appellation  of  the  Gemicm  Coa^^f 
under  which  it  was  long  known.     Every  Saturday  they 


SITFFEUINO  FROM  WANT  OF  PROVISIONS.  361 

were  seen  floatin-  down  the  nVer  in  small  bout,  to 
carry  to  the  market  of  ^\^^v  Orleans,  the  provisions 
winch  were  the  resnlt  of  their  industry.     From    this 
humble  hnt  clec(.nt  ori-hi,  issue,]  some  of  our  most  re- 
spectaHe  citizens,  and  of  <,ur  most  wealthy  su<4ar  ],lanters. 
lii.'y   lave,  lonn.  .,go,  forgotten  the  (ierman  lan-ua-e 
and  adopted  tlie  French,  l.utthe  names  of  some  of  tliem 
cl(^.Irly  n.dieate  the  blood  that  flows  in  their  veins  al- 
thouo-h  more  than  one  name  has  ])een  so  Frenchifie(i  as 
to  appear  of  (iallic  parentage.     The  Omnau  QmU  ,o 
poor  and  beggarly  at   first,    became  in  time  the  ilro- 
(Incer  and  the  receptacle  of  such  wealth,  that,  a  century 
after,  it  was  called  tlu"  Oo/^/  CoaM,  or  (Ue  d'or 

In  the  very  year  when  these  industrious  people  came 
to  reside  at  the   German  Con.f,  and  I.efore  they  could 
show  what  nch  harvests  could  spring  from  the  prolific 
soil  of  Louisiana,  the  colony  suffeivd  extremely  from  the 
want   of  provisions,  and,  in  a  dispatch  of  the  '>4th  of 
January,   the   Superior    Council  informe.l  the   French 
government  "that  the  colonists  would  absolutely  starve 
If  the  India  Company  did  not  send  by  every  vessel 
an  ample  sui)ply  of  salt  meat."     J^rom  \md  to  1703 
such  representations,  liowever  incredi),le  they  may  ai> 
pear,  had  been  made  evc^ry  year,  and  liad  forced  the 
J^rench  government  into  heavy  expenses,  so  that  it  is 
calculated  in  a  memoir  of  that  epoch,  that  the  ^.^^^r  in- 
dividuals  scatt(M-ed  over  Louisiana  had,  at  an  avera-e 
cost  annually  to  France,  in  jn-ovisions  alone,  about  one 
hund,-ed  and  fifty  thousand  livres.     There  must  cer- 
tainly have  been  much  abuse  and  malversation  at  the 
bottom  of  this  state  of  things,  and  it  is  evident  that 
there  ^yas  in  the  organization  of  the  colony  a  defect 
which,  if  It  starved  some,  fattened  others.     Be  it  as  it 
may,  the  existence  of  the  colony  was  nothing  but  a  pro- 


'   ■■  ii  i 


»•" 


') 


362 


THE  GREAT  HURRICANE  OF  172S. 


longed  agony.     The  principle  of  life  seemed  to  be 
wanting  in  her. 

Thus,  the  colonists  in   Louisiana,  during  tlie   year 
1723,  Avere  dragging  along,  sluggishly  and  raisera])ly,  a 
rickety  sort  of  existence,  when,  on  the  11th  of  Septem- 
ber, there  hurst  upon  them  a  tremendous  huriicane, 
which  lasted   tliree  days.     The  church,  the  hosi)itals, 
and  thii'ty  houses  in  the  modest  little  hamlet  of  New 
Orleans,  were  pulled  down  by  the  wind.     Three  ships 
that  were  in  port  were  completely  wrecked :  the  crops 
were  desti-oyed:  very  few  of  the  edifices  on  the  eml)ryo 
farms  of  the  colonists  could  withstand  the  fury  of  the 
hurricane,  and  were  swept  away  like  chaff,  or  autumn 
leaves.     The  desolation  was  so  widely  spread,  and  so 
intensely  felt,  that  the  first  impulse  of  the  peo])le  in 
their  des])iiir  was  to  quit  the  colony  forever :  and,  no 
doubt,  they  woald  hiive  executed  their  design,  if  they 
could  have  procured  means  of  transportation.     A  com- 
pany of  infantry  that  had  embarked  at  Biloxi  for  New 
Orleans,  availed  themselves  of  this    favorable  oi)por- 
tunity  for  esca[)e,  took  possession  of  the  vessel,  and 
forced  her  caj^tain  to  sail  for  Charleston,  where  they 
landed  safely  with  theii-  arms  and  bago-age. 

It  fre(iuently  happens  that  both  the  excess  of  misery 
and  of  ]:>ros])ei'ity,  has  a  tentlency  to  develop  the  evil 
propensities  of  the  human  heart.  It  was,  on  this  occa- 
sion, sti-ikingly  exemplified  by  the  colonists,  who,  at  all 
times,  had  been  strongly  addicted  to  gaming,  })ut  who 
now,  seeking  perha|)s  for  artificial  excitement,  to  lose 
the  consciousness  of  their  wi-etchedness,  went  on  play- 
ing with  such  Avanton  recklessness  at  all  kinds  of  games 
of  chance,  that  the  authoritir\s  found  it  necessaiy  to 
interfere,  and  to  prohibit  with  stringcMit  jienalties  their 
indulging  in  this  culjiable  and  dangerous  ])assion. 
In  spite  of  all  the  misfortunes  which  had  befallen  the 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  COLONY. 


363 


country,  its  agriculture  had  been  developing  itself  to 
some   extent,    although   checked   by   many   obstacles. 
Ihe  number  of  negrcx's,  or  slaves,  was  i,n-adiially  in- 
creasnig,  and,  this  year,  it  was  deterinine(i  by  an  ordi- 
nance, that  the  negroes  introduced  by  the  liidla  Com- 
pany from  Africa,  should  be  sold  for  676  livi-es  per 
head,  on  a  credit  of  one,  two,  and  three  years,  payal,le 
in  rice  and  tobacco.     The  price  of  rice  was  fixed  at  12 
iivres  the  ])arrel,  and  tobacco  at  26  livres  per  hundred 
pounds.     Wine  was  to  be  supplied  to  tlie  colonists  for 
26  hvres  the  cask,  and  brandy  at  120  livres.     Another 
ordinance  fixed  the  value  of  the  Spanish  pistoles  and 
dollars,  whicli,  from  the  proximity  of  the  Spani^-h  prov- 
mces,  had  become  current  in  the  colony. 

The  spiritual  concerns  of  the  colony  wei-e  not  neg- 
lected.    Louisiana  was  divided  into  three  grand  eccle- 
siastical districts.     The  first  was  intrusted  to  the  Capu- 
chins, and  extended  fi-om  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Illinois.     The  Carmelites  had  jurisdiction  over 
all  that  section  of  country  which  si)read  fi'om  the  Ali- 
bamons  to  Mobih^ ;— the  Wabash  and  Illinois  district 
was  the  lot  of  tlie  Jesuits.     Orders  were  given  and  pro- 
visions  were  m.-ide  for  the  construction  of  churches  and 
chapels,  the  colonists  having  complained  of  their  beino- 
o])liged,  for  want  of  pi'opcr  places  of  worship,  to  assem~. 
ble  in  tlie  o])en  air  round  wooden  crosses  erected  in  the 
fields  or  public  thoroughfai-es  and  roads. 
^  The  necessity  of  deepening  the  inoutli  of  tlie  Missis- 
Bii)pi,]iad  attracted  the  attention  of  tlie  French  govei-n- 
nient  at  the  earliest  period  of  the  establishment  of  tlie 
colony,  and    tl:e  engineer  Panger  made,  in  this  year, 
1723,  a  very  intei-esting  report  on  tlie  ])racticability  of 
arriving  at  this  desired  result.     lie  re])resented  that  it 
was  easy  and  not  expensive  to/^  (fixer)  or  to  control 
the  current  of  the  IMississippi,  so  as  to  make  it  subsor- 


flM- 


364       iii;marks  on  the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi. 

viont  to  the  plan  of  op(U'atinti^  ii])oii  tho  sniid-banka 
wliich  ol)s(ni('to(1  the  several  iiioiitlis  of  tlie  river,  and 
so  as  to  "-ivc  admittance  to  the  hiri^nst  ships,  AA'hatever 
nii-j^lit  lie  the  <le|)th  of  uatei-  they  drew;  that,  if  neces- 
sary, a  tine  artilicial  harlior  Avitli  quays  miijflit  be  ere- 
atc^d  at  tlie  linhze,  Avitli  the  numerous  iH-sources  wliieh 
the  nature  of  tlie  h)eality  olfered,  ami  that  it  mioht  he 
effectually  protected   hy  such  fortih'cations  as  he  indi- 
cated.    He  reconunended  to  shut  up  all  the  mouths  of 
the  river,  (^xce])t  one,  in  order  to  foi'ce  a  j]:reater  volume 
of  water  into  the  rema^1lill^•  chamiel,  which  would,  con- 
sequently, accpiire  more  (h'pth  ;  aiul  he  calculated  that 
the  increascnl  velocity  and  ])ower  of  the  cui-reiit  would 
sweep  away  the  whol(>  of  the  mud  oi-  sand-hank  which 
barred  the  enti'ance  of  the  j\lississi])pi.     TT(>  suj^i^ested 
that  the  innnensc  quantity  of  drift-wood  which  it  car- 
ried down,  miirht  be  secured  and  fastened  to  its  l»anks 
to  o-ive  them  ,o-,vater  solidity,  and  to  nai-row  the  bed  of 
the  river.     He  also  stated  tliat,  for  the  execution  of  the 
works  he  (h'scribed,  the  u-overnment  had  at  hand  inex- 
haustibl(>   cypress  forest^   furnishing'  an   incorruj)til)le 
kind  of  wood,  which,  without  much  ex])ense,  miu'lit  bo 
nse<l   to  any  extent  and  with  incalculable  advantages 
and  results. 

in  ls|'.».  Avhen  T  ^^•v\U'  these  lines,  thei-e  is  no  such 
thinn'  as  a  French  colony  in  North  America,  but  there 
is  in  it  a  i.'iu'antic  empiiv  composed  of  thirtv  sovereitrn 
states,  havin^-  in  the  aL;"o-ri.o-ate  a  poj)ulation  of  twenty- 
iive  millions  of  souls,  and  a  commerce  more  extensive 
than  that  of  any  nation  in  the  woi-Id  exce])t  (treat  Brit' 
ain.  'Die  limits  of  that  empiiv,  known  under  the  ap* 
pellation  of  the  Ignited  States  of  America,  extend  from 
the  frozen  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  snn-lmrnt 
hills  of  Xew  ^[exico  and  the  o:olden  Californian  sliorea 
of  the   Paciiie.     The  thousands  of  miles  of  country 


TIIR  IMPOilTANCR  OF  DREPENINO  THEM. 


365 


which  th(>  Mississippi  Avjitei's  in  its  courses  belong  exclu- 
sively to  this  mi,i?lity  people,  jiiid,  eoiisequeritly,  tJie  decp- 
enini,M)t'tlie  iiioutlis  of  iIk.  Mississi])pi,  uiid  tJie  •^ivino-  a 
fre(!  access  to  what  has  justly  1k\!1i  called  (di  inJaiiJ  -spa, 
on  the  shores  of  wliich  stand   such  cities  as  New  Or- 
leans and  St.  Louis,  in  ;i  boiuidless  reuion  where  sevei'al 
millions  of  the  human  race  are  already  domiciliated,  ami 
wh(M-e  countless  millions  will  reside  in  the  futui-e,  would 
be  one  of  the  most  important  national  works  which  the 
p^overnment  of  the  United  vStates  could  undertake;  and 
yet  it  is  no  more  th()u^dlt  of  than  if  it  was  not  recom- 
mended l)y  the  elo(juence  of  its  own  ma<rnitu<le,  and 
if  it  had  not  repeatedly  been  brou^-lit  before  (V)n_<j^ress 
by  more  than  one  leo-islative  resolution  of  the  State  of 
Louisiana.     True  it  is,  that  it  would  not  cost  pei'haps 
one  hundred  th()usan<l  dollais  a  year, to  have  foi'tv  feet 
of  water  at  the  mouths  of  the  Mississijipi,  tlii-ouoh  which 
pass  amnially  so  many  millions  of  imi)()i-tation  and  ex- 
portation in  every  soi-t  of  ooods  and  produce; — that  it 
would  stimulate  and  increase  commerce,  by  the  allbrd- 
ing  of  new  facilities  and  the  diminishing  i)f  obstacles, 
risks,  and  exjM'nse;;  to  ship-owners  and  merchants;  that 
it  would  be  investing  moui^y  that   would  retui'ii  the 
highest  intei-est  ;~tl:at  it  Avould  ju-ocure  to  the  people 
the  pi-ecious  advantage  of  studding  the  l)anks  of  the 
Mississippi   Avith   navy  yai'ds,  at  points  teeming   with 
infhiite  resources,  far  from  the  guns  of  hostile  fleets  ;— 
and  that  it  would  make  of  that  mighty  stream  a  harbor, 
an  a.sylum,  and  a  home  for  oui-  winged  monarchs  of  the 
ocean.     Triu^  It  is,  that  tlu'  expeiLses  attending  the  ac- 
oomi)lishnuMit  of  such  a  vast  object,  would  be  micro- 
scopical when  comj)ared  with  the  results  of  every  kind 
which  Would  be  attained,  and  that  largo  sums  have 
been   lavishly  spent  in  more  favored   states,  because 
they  were  of  more  political  importance.    But,  long  ago, 


111 


''■\\-: 


■'  '''I 


366 


INDIAN  TUOURLES. 


fj    ■•!*l! 


m 


^:m 


if;.;-! 


ift  ■  vn% 


Bi. 


'•I.  ■' 


;  i  *■ 


if 


u 


nm'^ 


would  tliis  much-needed  iinprovemeut  have  l)eeM  car- 
ried into  exeeution,  whic-h,  for  luorc;  thuu  a  century,  by 
its  innnense  importance,  its  easy  feasihility,  and  the  im- 
ix'rious  necessity  which  demands  it,  Iuls  struck  with  the 
force  of  self-(h'monstration    (!veiy  miiid  that  has   be- 
stowed th(^  slio^htcst  attention  on  t]w.  subject.  If  Louisi- 
niui  li;id  been  bh'ssed,  like  N(nv  York,  Avith  a  large  con- 
gressional represeutiition.     Let  us  hoj)e  that  the  time 
Avill  c(.me,  when,  to  secure  th«(  success  of  some  move  on 
the  political  chess-board  of  the  day,  and  to  gain  the 
comi)lement  of  certain  votes  n^piired  to  till  up  the  scale 
of  jx.wer,  that  great  national  woi'k  shall  be  (h)iu.,  which 
was  (h'layed  so  long  when  it  was  demauih'd  only  by  the 
wants  of  comnu'rce,  ihe  sense  of  justice,  and  the  voice 
of  ])ublic  interest, 

A   tre.-ity  of  peace  having  Ix'en  concluded  between 
Spain  and  Fi'ance,  I'ensacola,  which  had  been  taken  by 
the    French    in    ITl'.l,   was   restored  to  the  Spaniards. 
This  pence  dissipated  the  fears  and  feelings  of  insecu- 
rity which  existed  in  the  colony  from  the  iiVighborhood 
of  Cul)a  and  of  the  othei-  Spanish  j)ossessions  on  the 
continent ;  and  a  successful  canii)aign  which  the  Choc- 
taws  had  undertaken  against  th(^  Chickasaws,  at  the  in- 
stigation of  the  i^'rench,  gave  such  a  crushing  blow  to 
this  warlike  tribe,  as  to  secur(>  the  country  for  a  while 
against  their  depredations.     Hienvilhi  said,  in  one  of 
his  dispatches,  "The  Choctaws,  whom  I    have  set  in 
motion  against  the  (Miiekasaws,  have  destroyed  entircily 
three  villages  of  this  feroeiou-j  nation,  which  disturbed 
our  connnerco  (ui  the  riviM-.     They  have  raised  about 
four  hundred  scalps,  and  made  one  hundred  jtrisonerx. 
Consid.'i'ing  this  state  of  things,  it  is  a  most  important 
advantage  which  we  have  o))taiiied— the  more  so,  that 
it  has  not  cost  one  droj*  (»f  French  blood,  through  the 
C4ire  whi'.'h  1  took  of  opposing  those  baj-bariaiis  to  one 


INTRIGUES  OF  BIENVILLE'S  ENEMIES. 


367 


another.  Tlieir  seli-dcstniction,  operated  in  tliis  man- 
ner, is  the  sole  (jfficiiciouH  uwam  of  insurini^^  triUHjiiillity 
to  the  colony."  Bienville  also  wrott^  that  there  were 
thirtec^n  feet  water  on  the  bar  at  the  Tialize,  and  that 
he  was  actively  engaged  in  fortifying  that  pass,  and  in 
preparing  lodgings  for  a  small  garrison. 

The  Chickasaws  had  hardly  l.een  disabled  from  do- 
ing further  mischief,  when  liicnville  was  informed  that 
the  Natchez,  in  cons(!(pi(!iice  of  some  dilUcnltics  which 
had  s})rung  up  between  them  and  the  Fivudi,  had 
murdered  two  or  three  of  the  latter  and  plundi  red  their 
habitations.  T[e  immediately  went  uj)  tlu^  river  with 
an  army  of  seven  lumdied  in(>n,  and  having  ()l)tained 
tlie  sacrifice  of  some  heads,  in  atonem(!nt  for  those  of 
the  P'rench  who  had  ])een  killed,  Ik;  smoked  the  calu- 
met of  peace  with  the  Indians,  mid  only  three  days 
after  his  ai  rival  at,  Natel.e/,  he  had  tlu;  satisfaction  of 
speeding  back  to  Xew  ( )rleans,  after  having  put  an  end 
to  hostilities  which  threatened  a  p:otracted  and  a  dan- 
gei'ous  war. 

B'lt  the  Indians  Avere  vot  the  worst  enemies  he  had 
to  cope  with.  He  had  active  and  ever-plotting  adver- 
saries in  the  coh^ny,  and  no  vessel  returned  t(r Franco 
without  can-ying  back  heavy  accusations  against  the 
Governoi-  of  Louisiana.  Iluhert,  the  king's  commissary, 
was  one  of  the  foremost,  and  kept  n^peatini,^  to  the 
French  government  that  Louisiana  was  the  h'nt.^t  country 
in  the  world  ;  that  ■"  a  had  a  fault,  it  was  that  its  virgin 
soil  was  too  rich,  uhieh  was  iujui'ious  to  agriculture  in 
its  beginning  and  to  the  first  harvests;  but  that  if  the 
colony  did  not  ])rosper  jnoiv,  it  was  owing  to  the  mal- 
admini-tr  !t:on  of  Bienville,  and  to  his  favoritism  for 
his  numerous  r<'lations  and  allies.  The  fact  is,  that  the 
colony,  a.s  foi-  the  i)iist,  Axas  divided  into  two  factions, 
and  the  (parrels  of  its  otiicers  and  administratoivs  waxed 


j 

.•i' 

1. 

1' 


:fi 


RECALL  OF  BIENVILLE— BLACK  CODE. 


\ji 


H!4 


SO  Lot  and  so  aeriiiionious,  tluit  almost  every  clay, 
uiioiiyinous  and  delaiuatoiy  wiitings  were  stuck  up  at 
every  street  corner  in  Xew  Orleans,  and  satirical  com- 
positions wei'e  clandestinely  eircidated,  wliicli  |)rodueed 
much  in-italion  and  many  duels.  The  Superior  Council 
had  to  j)ul.lish  an  ordinance  on  the  subject,  and  to  in- 
flict lieavy  penalties  on  those  who  participated  in  the 
composition  and  puMicaticm  of  these  libels. 

On  the   IC.th  of  January,  1724,  Bienville  had  the 
moi'tification  of  receiving  a  disi)atch  from  the  French 
iTovernment,  by  which  he  was  called  to  France  to  an- 
swer   the    charo-es    broui,dit    against  him.     Perhaps  to 
soften  the  blow,  his  cousin   Ix)isbriant  was  aj)pointed 
govei-noi-  ad  interim.     This  was  the  second  time  that 
his  enemies  had  succeeded  against  him,  and  forced  him 
to  visit  Fj-ance  in  self-defense.     But  l)efore  leaving  the 
colony,  he  i)ublislu'd,  in  the  month  of  March  of  the 
year  1724,  a  Much  Code,  containing  all  the  legislation 
a])jdicable   to  slaves.     It  remained  in  force  until  the 
cession  of  Louisiana,  in  1S(^'5,  from  Spain  to  France,  and 
from  Fi'aiice  to  the  United  States,  and  some  of  its  pro- 
visions^ have   been  incori)orated  into  the  Black  Code 
which  is  now  the  law  of  th(>  land.     As  it  end)odles  the 
views,  feelings,  and  legislation   of  oui-  ancestors  more 
than  a  century  ago,  on  a  subject  which  has  ])een  daily 
groA\  ing  in  impoi'tance,  I  have  deemed  it  of  sufficient 
intei-est  to  lay  the  whole  of  it  before  the  i)ublic.-"-     Its 
first  and  its  third  articles   were,  it  must  })e  confessed, 
strangely  irrelevant  to  tlu?  matter  in  considerati(jn.  Thus, 
the  fii'st  declared  that  the  Jews  were  foi-ever  expelhnl 
from  the  colony ;  mid  the  third,  that  the  lioman  Catli- 
olic  religion  was  the  only  religious  creed  which  Avoidcl 
be  tolerated  in  Louisiana.     By  what  concatenation  of 
events  or  of  ideas,  these  provisions  concerning  the  su- 

*  See  the  Appendix. 


':t:       I'M 


MORALS  OP  THE  COUNTRY. 


369 


premacy  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  and  the  ex- 
pulsion  of  the  Jews  came  to  be  inserted  into  the  Black 
Code,  It  IS  difficult  to  imagine. 

I  transcribe  here  a  short  royal  ordinance,  which 
shows  the  nature  of  the  morality  of  the  country  at  the 
time,  and  which  demonstrates  the  state  of  distraction 
and  of  bitter  conflict  with  which  the  colonists  were 
afflicted,  instead  of  working  harmoniously  for  their  mu- 
tual  welfare. 

"Royal  ordinance  concerning  the   breaking  up  of 
seals,  and  the  violation  of  the  secrecy  of  letters 

"Whereas,  the  directors  of  the  India  Company  have 
represented  to  us,  that  in  our  province  of  Louisiana 
many  breaches  of  trust  are  committed  with  regard  to 
the  letters  and  packages  which  are  received  from  Eu- 
rope, and  those  which  are  destined  to  be  transported 
from  said  colony  to   our  kingdom;   that  some   evil- 
minded  persons,  either  through  malicious  intentions  or 
a  guilty  curiosity,  intercept  said  letters  and  packages, 
and  after  having  opened  them,  make  public  what  they 
contain,  whereby  quarrels  and  animosities  are  produced 
m  our  colony,  we  have  deemed  it  expedient  to  stop  the 
course  of  an  abuse  so  prejudicial  to  commerce  and  so 
repugnant  to  good  faith:  and  to  this  effect,  we  have  de- 
dared  and  ordained  that  all  prisons,  officers,  clerks,  inhab- 
itants, or  others,  on  being  con^-icted  of  having  detained 
or  intercepted  one  or  several  letters  or  packages,  shall  be 
sentenced,  to  wit :  the  officers  or  clerks,  to  a  fine  of  five 
hundred  livres,  to  be  deprived  of  their  office  or  offices 
and  to  be  forever  incapable  of  holding  any  other  under 
our  government ;  and  that  the  inhabitants  (habitants) 
and  others  shall  be  sentenced  to  the  iron  collar  (carcan) 
and  to  a  fine  of  five  hundred  livres." 

Tlie  aftairs  of  the  company,  far  from  improving  were 
rapidly  becoming  worse.    Louisiana  was  losing  ground 


fiiH 


i  ! 


Mh 


370   OBSTACLES  TO  THE  PROSPERITY  OF  THE  COLONY. 

in  the  estimation  of  the  French  government,  and  it 
was  thought  necessary  to  diminish  the  expenses  of  such 
an  unprofitable  possession.  Thus,  by  an  ordinance  of 
the  'Tth  of  September,  the  military  forces  of  the  colony 
were  reduced  from  twenty  companies  to  ten,  com- 
manded by  Marigny  de  Mandeville,  De  la  Tour, 
D'Artaguette,  Du  Tisne,  Lamarque,  Le  Blanc,  Des 
Liettes,  Marchand  de  Courcelles,  Renault  d'llauterive, 
and  Pr'idel.  Such  being  the  economical  views  of  the 
French  government  with  regard  to  Louisiana,  the  ex- 
cellent observaxions  and  plans  presented  by  the  engi- 
neer Pauger,  concerning  the  improvements  to  be  made 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  could  not  l)e  carried 
even  into  partial  execution ;  but  as  a  reward  for  his 
labors,  he  was  appointed  member  of  the  Superior 
Council. 

The  colony  had  always  greatly  suffered  from  the 
want  of  surveyors.  The  grantees  of  lands  experienced 
much  difficulty  and  long  delays  to  be  put  in  possession 
of  their  grants,  and  frequently,  these  sui'veys  being 
made  by  persons  who  were  incapable,  and  not  legally 
empowered  to  officiate,  much  confusion  and  uncertainty 
ensued,  and  promised  future  litigation  Avhen  the  country 
should  be  more  thickly  settled.  To  remedy  this  evil, 
two  l)rothers,  named  Lassus,  were  sent  to  Louisiana 
with  full  powers  to  act  as  engineers  in  the  name  of  the 
company. 

One  of  the  curses  of  the  colony  was  the  constant 
fluctuation  of  its  monetary  circulation.  Not  only  its 
paper  currency  underwent  rapid  depreciation  as  soon 
as  a  new  one  succeeded  that  which  fell  into  discredit,  but 
the  company,  for  the  most  nefarious  jobbing  purposes, 
'ased  to  change,  by  repeated  edicts,  the  standard  of  the 
Spanish  dollars  and  pistoles,  which  were  the  chief  me- 
tallic currency  of  the  country.     Thus,  by  an  edict  of  the 


THE  COMPANY  TAMPERS  WITH  THEIR  CURRENCY.        371 

23d  Of  February  of  the  preceding  year,  the  company 
had  suddenly  raised  the  value  of  the  dollar  from  4  livreg 

Zl     rS  l^^  "'"*'"'"' '  ^"^^  *^^"^^^  «^«"ths  after,  on  the 
2btii  of  i  ebruary,  1724,  the  pistole  was  reduced  from  30 
to  2S  livres,  and  the  dollar  from  7  livres  10  centimes  to 
7  livres     On  the  2d  of  May,  there  was  another  reduction 
for  the  dollar  from  7  livres  to  5  livres  12  centimes,  and 
for  the  iMstole,  from  28  to  22  livres  8  centimes.    On  the 
30th  of  October,  there  came  a  further  reduction.     Thus 
from  22  livres  8  centimes,  the  pistole  was  brought  down 
to  18  livres^  and  the  dollar,  from  5  livres  12  centimes 
to  4  livres  10  centimes.     It  would  be  tediou.  ^o  go  into 
all  the  details  of  these  financial  operations,  and  to  inves- 
tigate  into  their  causes.     It  is  evident  that  there  nust 
have  been  at  the  bottom  of  them  some  dark  fraud 
greedy  corruption,  and  thieving  speculation,  which  en' 
riched  some  individuals  at  the  expense  of  the  sheepish 
multitude.     To  give  an  idea  of  the  perturbation  which 
was  produced  in  the  aftairs  of  the  cobny,  it  is  sufficient 
to  state  that,  in  the  course  of  two  years,  there  was  by 
successive  arbitrary  ordinances,  a  rise  and  fall  of  nearly 
fifty  per  cent,  in  the  value  of  the  metallic  currency  of 
the  country.     An  indescribable  confusion  was  the  con. 
sequence  of  such  measures.     The  pecuniary  situation  of 
ex^ry  colonist  was  changed  ;  the  ruin  was  almost  gene- 
ral,  but  some  large  fortunes  sprung  up  from  the  vast 
wreck.     Comments  are  unnecessary,  when  facts  speak 
so  loudly  and  so  distinctly.     The  mere  statement  of 
these  facts  suffices  to  show  what  was  the  spirit  whic-h 
presided  over  the  administration  of  that  miserable  cob 
ony.     Liider  such  an   incul)us,  how  could  it  prosper 
without  a  miracle,  when  suffering  from  the  violation  of 
nil  the  laws  of  nature,  of  common  sense,  of  civilisation, 
and  ot  political  economy  'i 

In  1724,  the  Avhite  population  of  Louisiana,  says  La 


i 

II- 

1 

in  1:^1 

u 

\ 

1 

! 

^    li'.i 

'! 

[f       'I 


(  (■■■ 


M;     1 


372 


PROTEOTION  OF  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS- 


If' 


4; 


I    «" 


fj 


ILirpe,  amoimtod  to  ahont  1700  souls,  and  the  hlack 
population  to  JjaOO.  If  La  Ilarpe's  .statement  be  true, 
it  hIiowh  an  justonishingdiniinutiou  of  the  wliite  poj)ula- 
tion,  which,  in  1721,  wius  computed  at  r)400.  Tliere 
were  in  the  colony,  1100  cows,  300  l)ulls,  200  horses 
and  mares,  100  slu^ip,  100  floats,  some  hogs,  and  a  con- 
8i(leral)le  num})er  of  domestic  fowls  of  every  kind.  In 
New  Orleans  and  its  vicinity,  there  were  about  1000 
souls,  including  the  troops,  and  the  persons  employed 
by  tht;  government. 

This  year,  1724,  was  made  remarkable  by  the  pro' 
mulgation  of  a  law  for  the  protection  of  domestic  ani- 
mals, and  l)y  its  Draconic  severity.  Thus,  the  king,  at 
the  request  of  the  Superior  Council  of  the  colony,  issued 
a  royal  edict,  declaring  that  the  voluntary  killing  or 
uiiiiming  of  a  horse,  or  of  a  horned  animal,  by  any  one 
but  the  owner,  should  be  ])unishable  with  death,  and 
that  any  person  who,  without  leave  from  a  competent 
authority,  shouhl  kill  his  own  horse,  his  own  cow.  and 
sheep,  or  their  young  ones,  if  of  the  female  sex,  should 
pay  a  fine  of  ;U)0  livres. 

The  enacting  of  such  a  law  was  no  doubt  pi'om]>ted 
by  the  necessity  of  preserving  against  wanton  destruc- 
tion, animals  which  were  so  useful  to  the  colony,  and 
which  it  \\'i\6  extremely  important  to  multiply.  Ihit  as 
the  human  race  was  (piite  as  scarce  in  the  colony,  and 
of  a  nobler  and  more  precious  nature,  it  seems  that  some 
scale  of  proportion  should  have  l)een  observed  between 
the  degrees  of  punishment  to  be  inflicted  for  the  killing 
of  an  ox,  or  of  a  man,  and  that  the  bipeds  and  <piadru- 
peds  should  not  have  been  assimilated  under  the  same 
a\gis  of  })rotei'tion.  What  a  wonderful  change  ha** 
taken  place  in  our  h^gislation,  in  our  manners  and 
customs,  in  the  whole  state  of  the  country,  and  in  its 
very  bones  and  sluewa  since  ll2il    This  change  is 


!!■  ,      %  i 


DEFENRR  OK  BIENVILLF, 


373 


SO  ^reat,  that  we  can  liardly  admit  the  reality  of  the 
evidence  that,  u.uy  a  little  better  thaji  a  c<intury  n  ,'o, 
<»ne  mijri  f  l,.,v..  },f.,,.  broken  on  the  wheel,  or  decapi* 
tated  in  Lon  liMvin^^  niuiined  or  wounded  a 

hoi-se  or  a  cow.  It  4iows  that  l)liie-lavv.s  were  not  con- 
fined  altog(!ther  to  the  soil  of  Connecticut. 

(>     his  airival  in  France,  Bienville  laid  his  defense, 
in  1 .  25,  before  the  French  ^'overntnent.      He  repre^ 
seiited   that   he   had   honorably  served  the   king  for 
thirty-four  years,  during  the  greater  part  of  wiiich  he 
had  acted  as  t])e  govei-nor,  or  one  of  the  chief  officere 
of  Louisiana:—!'    f  as  an  (.(licer  of  the  Navy,  he  had 
served  seven  yeais,  and  gone  through  seven  campaigns 
at  sea:— that  during  these  seven  campaigns,  he  had 
been  present  at  all  the  sea-fi.,lits  of  his  In-other  Iber- 
ville, on  the  coasts  of  New  England,  of  Newfoundland, 
and  in  the  bay  of  Hudson,  and  among  othei'  engage! 
meuts,  at  the  one  which  took  place  between  one  single 
French   shij)   of  42    guns,    commanded   by   Ibervifle, 
against  thre.;  English  ships,  of  which  one  was  of  54 
guns,  aiul  two  of  42,   when,    after  a  struggle  of  five 
houi-s,^  Iberville  sunk  the  fifty-four,  took  one  of  the  43 
and(lismasted  the  other,  which  escaped  under  the  pro^ 
tectlon  of  the  dark  shades  of  night;  in  which  fight,  he 
Bienville,  was  dangei-ously  wounded  in  the  head.     He 
further  represented,  that  it  was  he,  who,  in  1G99,  joint- 
]y  with  his  brother  Iberville,  had  discovered  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi,  aiul  established  a  colony  in  Louisi- 
ana ;  that,  for  twenty-seven  consecutive  years,  he  had 
devoted  himself  exclusively  to  the  colonization  <     that 
province ;  that  he  liad  sacrificed  in  tavor  of  this  public 
spirited  enterpi-ise,  the  brilliant  career  which  was  open 
for  hini  in  his  majesty's  navy,  in  which  many  members 
of  liis  family  had  distinguished  themselves,  seven  of  his 
brothers  having  died  naval  officei-s;  that  his  father  had 


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^ 


374 


DEFENSE  OF  BIENVILLE. 


died  on  the  battle-field,  in  the  service  of  his  country ; 
that  there  still  remained  in  the  navy  three  of   his 
brothers :  De  Longueil,  governor  of  Montreal,  in  Can- 
ada, De  Serigny,  captain  of  a  ship  of  the  line,  and  De 
Chateaugne,  naval  ensign.     He  then  reviewed  what  he 
had  done  since  he  arrived  in  Louisiana,  the  unceasing 
hardships  and  difficulties  of  every  sort  it  had  been  his 
lot  to  struggle  against,— the  causes  which  excited  the 
jealousy  and  hostility  of  his  adversaries ;  and  he  labored 
to  prove  that  all  his  acts  had  been  in  conformity  with 
the  laws,  with  his  instructions,  with  the  interest  of  the 
colony,  and  of  the  king's  service,  and  that  it  was  to  his 
unremitted  exertions  and  devotion,  that  the  colony  was 
indebted  for  the  continuation  of  its  existence.     Bernard 
de  la  Harpe,  who,  in  his  Mstorkal  journal^  warmly  sup- 
ports Bienville  against  his  accusers,  says  pithily,  that 
the  best  proof  that  Bienville  had  always  been  more 
mindful  of  the  colony's  interest  and  welfare  than  of  his 
own,  was,  that  during  the  twenty-seven  years  he  had 
resided  in  the  colony,  and  wielded  power,  he  had  not 
acquired  in  property  more  than  60,000  livres  worth  (or 
$12,000),  which  was  more  than  could  be  said  of  his 
traducers. 

But  if  Bienville  had  implacable  enemies,  he  had 
friends,  blood  relations,  and  allies,  whose  fidelity  and 
active  zeal  were  a  compensation  equal  to  the  hostility 
from  which  he  had  to  suffer.  One  of  them,  De  Noyan, 
his  nephew,  presented  to  the  Superior  Council  a  peti- 
tion, in  which  he  stated,  that  he  wished  to  disprove  an 
assertion  which  had  been  advanced  by  his  uncle's  ene- 
mies, Avho  had  assured  the  French  government  that  the 
Indian  nations  having  been  oppressed  by  Bienville, 
were  rejoiced  at  his  departure  from  Louisiana.  The 
Superior  Council  acceded  to  the  prayer  of  the  petition, 
and  De  Noyan  brougli'  before  them  deputations  from 


PERIER  APPOINTED  GOVERNOR. 


876 


the    Oumaa,  Tunicas,  Natchez,   Choctawg,   and    other 
tnbes,  who  declared  that  Bienville  had  always  been 
their  best  friend,  and  that,  during  his  absence,  their 
hearts  would  ever  be  clad  in  mourning.     Nevertheless 
Bienville,  in  spite  of  his  own  exertions,  and  of  those  of 
his  friends,  was  dismissed  from  office,  and  Perier  was 
appomted  governor  in  his  phice  en  the  9th  of  August 
1726.     The  success  of  Bienville's  enemies  w.'^s  so  com- 
plete, that  Chateaugue,  his  brother,  who  had  long  been 
acting  as  "  Lieutenant  de  Moir  or  lieutenant-governor 
m  the  colony,  was  also   removed,  and  that  the  two 
Noyans,  both  his  nephews,  one  a  captain,  and  the  other 
an  ensign  in  the  army,  were  broken,  and  the  order  was 
given  to  send  them  to  France.     The  object  of  these 
measures,  besides  the  gratification  of  private  malice 
was  to  destroy  the  influence  of  Bienville,  to  sweep  awar 
all  the  obstacles  of  a  foreseen  opposition  from  the  path 
of  his  successor,  and  to  make  level  ground  for  the  new 
administration. 

This  change,  and  the  other  modifications  which  were 
expected  in  the  administration,  produced  considerable 
perturbation,  ill-blood,  and  fears,  in  the  colony.     The 
excitement  was  increased  by  the  anticipation  of  a  war, 
and  the  proclamation  of  Boisbriant,  the  governor  ad  in- 
terim, and  De  la  Chaise,  the  king's  commissary,  which 
invited  all  the  colonists  to  carry  to  the  king's  ware 
houses  ac  New  Orleans  and  Mobile,  all  the  ammunition 
and  provisions  they  could  command,  to  provide  for  the 
contingencies  of  a  war  likely  to  break  out  between 
bpain  and  England,  and  in  which  France  would  be 
called  to  take  a  part,  in  virtue  of  her  treaty  of  alliance 
with  Spain. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  De  la  Chaise  had  been  sent 
by  the  India  Company,  in  1723,  with  Du  Saunoy,  t»  ex- 
ercise  inquisitorial  powers  over  the  aftairs  of  Louisiana, 


t! 


m 


'i 

i^    ' 

!l 

-1- 

376 


DE  LA  CHAISE. 


to  take  informations  on  the  conduct  of  all  the  officers 
and  administrators  of  the  colony,  and  to  report  thereon 
to  the  government.     I)u  Saunoy  having  died  sliortly 
after  his  arrival,  I)e  la  Chaise  had  remained  clothed 
with  all   the  authority  of  the  joint  commission.     As 
soon  as  he  entered  upon  his  duties,  the  old  intestine 
war  had  immediately  ceased  by  mutual  consent  between 
the  officers,  clerks,  agents  of  the  colonial  administration, 
and  they  had  leagued  themselves  against  the  common 
enemy— against  the  spy  whom  the  government  had  set 
in  terrorem  over  them  all.     De  la  Chaise  soon  found 
himself  in  a  hornet's  nest,  and  met  fierce  opposition  in 
every  thing,  and  from  every  quarter.    He  was  a  nephew 
of  the  celebrated  Jesuit,  Father  de  la  Chaise,  the  con- 
fessor to  Louis  the  XlVth,  and  of  patrician  birth,  the 
ancient  feudal  castle  of  his  family,  the  OJiateau  (PAix, 
being  situated  among  the  mountains  of  the  province  of 
Forez,  in  France.     His  father  was  the  son  of  (George 
d'Aix,  Seigneur  de  la  Chaise,  who  was  distinguished 
for  his  militaiy  services,  and   had  married  Renee  de 
Rochefort,  daughter  of  one  of  the  noblest  houses  of  the 
province.     Members  of  the  De  la  Chaise  family  con- 
tinued to  occupy  high  rank  in  the  army,  and  in  the 
king's  household,  and  one  of  them,  during  the  regency 
of  the  Duke  of  Oi-leans,  died  a  lieutenant-general."    He 
had  acquired  reputation  for  his  uncompromising  integ- 
rity, and  his  unflinching  attachment  to  duty,  but,  says 
the  Duke  of  St.  Simon,  in  his  memoirs,  he  was  so  de- 
ficient in  intellect,  that  he  frequently  met  with  unlucky 
accidents,  in  his  military  career. 

De  la  Chaise,  the  king's  commissary  in  Louisiana,  was 
not  gifted  witn  a  superior  intellect,  but  he  was  a  solid 
square  block  of  honesty,  who  neither  deviated  to  the 
right  nor  to  the  left  from  the  path  of  duty,  and  who, 
possessing  a  considerable  share  of  energy,  moved  stoutly 


i^lJi 


HIS  INVESTIGATIONS. 


377 


onward  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  mission,  regardless 
of  persons  and  of  consequences.     The  never-ceasing  re- 
pose of  his  handsome  features  was  an  unmistakable  in- 
dication of  the  unruffled  serenity  of  his  soul;  and  the 
dignity  of  his  person,  the  measured  propriety  of  his 
deportment  and  actions  were  such,  that  it  checked  in 
others  the  ebullition  of  passion,  forced  discussion  to  be 
courteous,  and  anger  itself  to  be  respectful.     With  the 
blandest  urbanity,  but  with  unwavering  firmness,  he 
called  every  one  to  account,  and  the  opposition,  which 
he  goaded  into  fury  by  his  steadiness  of  jmrpose,  and 
his  unspai'ing  investigations,  became  such,  that  the'gov- 
ernment  thought  it  necessary  to  act  with  vigor.     Bois- 
briant,  the  governor  ad  intei-im,  Perrau It,  Perry,  the 
engineer    Pauger,   the   attorney-general    Fleurian',  all 
members  of  the  Superior  Council,  wei-e  censured  with 
severity   by  the    government.      Moreover,    Governor 
Boisbriant,  Bienville's  cousin,  was  summoned  to  France, 
to  justify  h's  acts:  Perrault,  Fazende,  and  Perry,  mem- 
bers of  the  council,  were  dismissed  from  office :  Fleu- 
riau,  the  attorney-general,  was  invited  to  throw  up  his 
commission,  and  the  office  itself  was  suppressed  for  the 
moment.     They  had  the  mortification  to  receive  the 
imperative  order  to  ajjpear  respectfully  before  De  la 
Chaise,  and  the  new  governor,  Perier,  or  before  whom- 
soever these  dignitaries  might  choose  to  designate,  and 
then  to  account  to  them  for  all  their  official  acts.     Af- 
ter that,  Perrault  and  Perry  were  to  be  transp;>rted  to 
France.     With  regard  to  Fazende,  the  other  councillor, 
he  was  permitted  to  remain  in  Louisiana  as  a  private 
citizen.     Through  the  influence  of  Boisbriant,  the  gov- 
ernor ad  interim,  who  was  violently  opposed  to  De  la 
Chaise,  a  spirit  of  insubordination  having  infected  the 
troops  themselves,  the  king  had  issued  an  ordinance,  on 
the  20th  of  November,  to  prohibit  all  assemblies  of 


XI 


THE  COMPANY'S  INSTRUCTIONS  TO 

officers.  It  was  a  comi)lete  revolution  in  miniature,  but 
these  were  thought  to  he  miglity  events  in  the  lilipu- 
tian  colony  of  Louisiana. 

Thus,  De  la  Chaise  and  Perier  remained  the  supreme 
mastei-s  in  Louisiana.  The  India  Company,  thinking  it 
good  policy  that  Perier  should  have  a  personal  interest 
in  the  prosperity  of  the  colony,  and  anxious  to  secure 
his  zealous  co-operation,  even  if  it  were  on  selfish 
grounds  only,  granted  him,  over  and  above  his  regular 
salary  as  governor,  a  concession  of  ten  acres  of  land, 
fronting  on  the  river,  with  the  ordinary  depth,  and  de- 
creed that  he  should  receive  the  donation  of  eight  ne- 
groes a  yeai',  as  long  as  he  should  retain  his  office. 

The  India  Company  gave  to  Perier  the  minutest  in- 
structions, to  serve  as  i-ules  for  his  administration.    They 
informed  him  that  they  expected  he  should  keep  up  the 
best  understanding  with  De  la  Chaise,  the  king's  commis- 
sary,  whose  integrity,  zeal,  and  intelligence  were  well 
known  to  the  company,  and  that  there  should  be  no 
jealousy  and  no  clashing  of  authority  between  them ; 
that  from  the  sad  experience  of  the  past,  they  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  power  should  be  divided  in  the 
colony  between  two  persons  only,  each  one  responsible 
for  his  acts  in   his  respective   de])artment;  that   one 
should  be  the  executive  officer  a:id  f  -  military  com- 
mander of  the  colony,  and  the  other  .nould  have  the 
supervision  of  its  police,  its  commerce,  and  its  judicial 
administration;  that   they  should  remain   completely 
independent  of  each  other,  in  order  to  prevent  the  dis- 
sensions and  quarrels  which  had  hitherto  been  so  fatal 
to  the  prosperity  of  the  country ;  that  he.  Governor  Pe- 
rier, and  the  commissary,  De  la  Chaise,  would  find,  in  the 
company's  instructions,  their  powers  and  functions  clearly 
defined  and  kept  distinctly  apart ;  that  De  la  Chaise  hav- 
ing made  many  enemies  in  consequence  of  his  zeal  for  the 


Ill 


iiii 


PERIER  AND  DE  LA  CHAISE. 


379 


interests  of  the  company,  Governor  Pdricr  was  required 
to  hack  and  to  support  him  with  all  the  means  which 
would  be  m  his  hands;  and  that,  in  conceit  with  this 
colleague  m  authority,  he  was  expected  to  take  all  the 
measures  necessary  to  punish,  according  to  their  deserts 
those  who  had  opposed  the  exercise  of  the  authoi-ity 
conferred  upon  the  king's  commissary. 

One  of  the  articles  of  the  instructions  ran  thus:- 
Whereas  it  is  maintained  that  the  diseases  which  pre- 
vail  m  New  Orleans  duiing  the  summer,  proceed  from 
the  want  of  air  and  from  the  city  being  smothere<l  by 
the  neighboring  woods,  which  press  so  close  around  it 
It  shall  be  the   care  of  M.  Perier  to  have  them  cut 
down,  as  far  as  Lake  Pontchartrain."     This  parai^raph 
shows  two  things  :-l.  That,  at  that  remote  time  the 
summer  was  a  sickly  season  in  New  Orleans,  as  it  is  to 
this  day;  and  2.  That  to  make  it  more  healthy   the 
government  was,  as  far  back  as  1726,  struck  with  the 
necessity  of  an  improvement  which,  for  many  years 
past^has  in  vain  been  urged  upon  the  public  authorities 
of  New  Orleans.     To  procure  to  this    city  a  free  and 
pure  ventilation   from   Lake  Pontchartrain,  there   re- 
mains to  be  removed  only  a  thin  curtain  of  wood,  which 
might  soon  be  withdrawn;  and  there  being  no  other 
impediment  to  prevent  a  mutual  exchange  of  breezes 
between  the  Mississippi  and  the  lake,  gentle  drafts  of 
invigorating  air  would  daily  sweep  through  our  streets, 
and  make  of  New  Orleans,  during  the  summer,  the 
safest  and  most  agreeable  urban  residence  in  the  Union 
When  It  should  be  once  known  that  New  Orleans  is  as 
much  blessed  with  health  as  any  other  part  of  these 
United  .States,  Its  rapid  aggrandizement  would  be  al- 
most without  limits,  and  it  would,  with  the  advantages 
It  possesses,  become  at  once  the  pride  and  the  wonder 
of  the  American  continent.    Li  1844,  under  the  admin. 


' '  h 

■ 

i 

i 

M'                          "  : 

,■'': 

ii 
i 

■■<  i 


i    r 


380 


PERIER'S  INSTRUCTIONS. 


istration  of  Governor  Mouton,  this  enlightened  chief 
magistrate  of  the  state  of  Louisiana  proposed  to  the 
mayor  of  the  city,  to  put  at  his  disposal  from  eighty  to 
one  hundred  black  convicts,  sentenced  to  hard  labor, 
on  condition  that  they  should  be  employed  by  the  mu- 
nicipal councils  of  New  Orleans,  in  cutting  down  the 
forest  which  lies  between  the  lake  and  New  Orleans, 
and  on  condition  that,  during  that  time,  they  should  be 
fed  and  clothed  at  the  expense  of  the  city.     This  libe- 
ral offer  was  not  accepted  for  some  futile  causes,  and  a 
very  important  public  improvement  was  indefinitely 
delayed.     But  he  who  studies  some  of  the  designs  of 
Providence,  as  they  are  stamped  on  the  map  of  the 
world,  can  see,  however  feeble  his  vision  may  be,  that 
it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  apathy,  the  stupidity,  or  the 
malice  of  man,  materially  to  affect  the  destinies  which 
are  in  store  for  the  noble  city  now  rising  so  proudly 
on  the  bank  of  the  mighty  father  of  rivers  in  the 
Egypt  of  the  New  World.     Time  will  do  all  that  is 
necessary— time !  that  great  destroyer   and  beautifier 
of  things ! 


"  HiEC  igitur  formara  crescendo  mutat,  et  olim 
Imraensi  caput  orbis  erit.     Sic  dicere  vates. 


Ovm 


In  another  article  of  the  instructions,  the  company 
impressed  upon  Perier's  mind  the  importance  of  his 
visiting,  as  soon  as  possible  after  his  arrival  in  Louisi- 
ana, the  powerful  tribe  of  the  Natchez,  in  order  to  be- 
come well  acquainted  with  their  dispositions,  and  the 
nature  of  their  relations  with  the  neighboring  French 
settlement,  to  which  it  was  the  intention  of  the  com- 
pany to  give  as  full  a  development  as  it  was  susceptible 
of.  He  was  informed  that  the  Natchez  had  three  im- 
portant villages  in  close  contiguity  with  the  French  set- 
tlement;   which  circumstance  had  been  and  was  ex- 


VALDETERRE'S  DESCRIPTION  OF  LOUISIANA  IN  1726.      381 

pected  to  be  the  cause  of  incessant  misunderstandings 
and  quarrels ;  and  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  com- 
pany that  he  should  look  into  this  state  of  things,  and 
that,  if  he  should  be  of  opinion,  after  a  thorough  in- 
vestigation, that  there  was  danger  in  keeping  so  close 
together  two  antagonistic  races,  then  to  tender  to  the 
Natchez  chiefs,  presents  sufficiently  persuasive  to  induce 
them  to  remove  farther.  These  instructions,  which,  no 
doubt,  became  known  to  the  French  settlers,  and  leaked 
out  among  the  Indians,  and  the  feelings  and  actions  to 
which  they  must  have  given  rise,  were  likely  one  of  the 
main  causes  that  produced  the  horrible  tragedy  which 
marked  with  letters  of  blood  the  annals  of  Louisiana  in 
1729. 

The  new  governor,  Perier,  had,  in  accepting  of  his 
office,  undertaken  a  task  which,  to  be  performed  with 
credit  to  himself  and  to  the  India  Company,  required 
capacities  of  mind  and  soul  of  no  inferior  order ;  for,  he 
had  to  contend  with  difficulties,  for  which  mediocrity 
was  no  match.  To  appreciate  his  position,  it  is  sufficient 
to  read  the  description  which  Drouot  de  Valdeterre, 
who  had  commanded  at  Dauphine  Island  and  Biloxi, 
gives  of  the  colony  in  1726. 

"  The  inha])itants  of  this  country,"  said  he,  "  whose 
establishment  in  it  is  of  such  recent  date,  not  being 
governed  in  the  name  of  his  majesty,  but  in  that  of  the 
company,  have  become  republicans  in  their  thoughts, 
feelings,  and  manners,  and  they  consider  themselves  as 
free  from  the  allegiance  due  to  a  lawful  sovereign. 
The  troops  are  without  discipline  and  subordination, 
without  arms  and  ammunition,  most  of  the  time,  without 
clothing,  and  they  are  frequently  obl'ged  to  seek  for 
their  food  among  the  Indian  tribes.  T'here  are  no  forts 
for  their  protection ;  no  places  of  refuge  for  them  in 
cases  of  attack.    The  guns  and  other  implements  of 


llli 


.M' 


'A  -' 


!> 


It 


M 


382  SPIRIT  OF  REPUBLICANISM  IN  THE  COLONY. 

war  are   Iniried   in  sand  and  abandoned;    the  ware- 
houses  are  uiirooted  ;  the  mercluindise,  goods,  and  pro- 
visions are  damaged  or  completely  spoiled ;  the  com- 
pany  m  well  jus  the  colonists  are  plundered  without 
mercy  and  restraint ;  revolts  and  desertions  among  the 
troops  are  authorized  and  sanctioned  ;  incendiaries  who, 
for  the  purpose  of  pillage,  commit  to  the  flames  whole 
camj)s,  ])osts,  settlements,  and  warehouses,  remain  un- 
punished ;  prisoners  of  war  are  forced  to  become  sailors 
m  the  service  of  the  company,  and  by  culpable  negli- 
gence or  connivance  they  are  allowed  to  run  away  with 
ships  loaded  with  merchandise ;  other  vessels  are  will- 
fully stranded  or  wrecked,  and  their  cargoes  are  lost  to 
their  owners;  forgers,  robbers,  and  murderers  are  se- 
cure of  impunity.     In  short,  this  is  a  country  which,  to 
the  shame  of  France  be  it  said,  is  without  religion, 
without  justice,  without  discipline,  without  order,  and 
without  police."    What  a  picture !    It  wants  no  finish- 
ing stroke. 

In  this  energetic  enumeration  of  the  imperfections  of 
the  colony  at  the  time,  there  is  one  thing  which  is  de- 
serving of  notice.  It  is  the  innate  spirit  of  republican- 
ism which  stuck  to  it  from  its  origin :  a  spirit,  of  which 
Governor  Cadillac  complained  so  bitterly  in  1717,  and 
which,  in  17l>(;,  was  not  much  more  to  the  taste  of  Dro- 
not  de  Valdeterre. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  company  itself  was  the 
first,  in  some  instances,  to  give  bad  examples  by  the 
violation  of  contracts  and  of  the  laws  of  morality  and 
justice.  Thus,  on  the  31st  of  October,  the  Council  of 
State,  at  the  instigation  of  the  company,  issued  an  ordi- 
nance decreeing  that  all  creditors  should  accept  in 
satisfaction  of  their  claims,  and  that  all  holders  of  prom- 
issory  notes  and  letters  of  credit  should  receive  in 
payment  of  those  obligations  (any  contrary  stipulations 


11^' ) 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  URSULINE  NUNS. 


383 


notwithstanding)  the  copper  currency  which  had  been 
introduced  in  the  colony,  and  for  the  value  affixed  to 
it,  instead  of  Spanish  dollars  or  other  Spanish  coin. 
Any  person  violating  this  ordinance  was  declared  to  be 
guilty  of  peculation  or  extortion,  sentenced  to  pay  a 
fine  of  three  hundred  livres,  one  half  of  which  for  the 
benefit  of  the  informer,  and  the  other  for  the  relief  of 
the  charity  hospital,  and  further  to  be  whipped  and 
branded  by  the  public  executioner.  The  Spanish  dol- 
lars or  coin  paid  in  violation  of  this  edict  were  confis- 
cated on  behalf  of  the  government. 

Nothing  could  have  justified  this  violent  interference 
with  i)i'ivate  contracts  ;  and  it  seems  to  us,  modified  as 
we  are  by  the  political  atmosphere  we  live  in,  that  those 
who  framed  and  issued  the  ordinance  we  have  men- 
tioned, were  much  more  deserving  of  the  hangman's 
whip  and  brand  than  those  who,  in  conformity  with 
their  i)ledged  faith  in  contracts  which  were  lawful  at 
the  time  they  were  made,  would  have  disregarded  and 
disobeyed  such  retrospective  and  barbarous  legislation. 
Beyond  this  act  of  arbitrary  and  unjust  legislation, 
nothing  else  marked  the  close  of  the  year  ITliO,  which 
had  winged  its  flight  over  the  colony  without  having 
droi)ped  from  its  pinions  one  feather  .vhich  Louisiana 
might  have  added  to  her  stores  of  acquisitions  and 
prosperity.     For  her  there    had    been  no    progress. 
Time  and  the  Avorld  had  stood  still. 

In  1727,  some  Ursuline  nuns  and  some  Jesuits,  in 
conformity  with  a  contract,  which,  in  the  preceding 
year,  tliey  had  passed  with  the  India  Company,  came 
to  Louisiana,  where  they  were  to  reside  permanently. 
The  Ursulines  were  seven  in  number,  and  were  to  take 
charge  of  the  charity  hospital  in  New  Orleans.  Ac- 
cording to  previous  stipulations,  they  were  transported 
at  the  cost  of  the  company  with  four  servants,  and  they 


ff^ 

i 

m 

! 

i  i 


'■1 
■'           t 

'( 

:-if 

.  ,  ii 

".-. 

384 


HISTORY  OF  THE  URSULINE  NUN* 


1^^^ 


m 


uu 


had  received  each,  before  their  departure,  as  a  gratuity, 
the  sum  of  five  hundred  livres.     They  were  immedi^ 
ately  j.ut  in  possession  of  the  hospital,  in  which  they 
were  to  reside  until  a  more  convenient  dwelling  should 
be  built  up  for  them.     The  company  was  to  concede  to 
the  hospital  a  lot  of  ground  measuring  eight  acres, 
fronting  on  tlie  Mississipi)i  by  the  usual  depth  of  forty. 
The  olyect  of  this  concession  was  the  establishment  of  a 
plantation,  capa})le  of  sui)])lying  the  wants  of  the  Ursu- 
lines,  and  of  affording  to  them  a  suffi- ient  remuneration 
for  their  services  in  the  hospital.     Those  eight  acres 
were  to  be  located  as  near  New  Orleans  as  possible. 
Each  of  the  nuns  was  to  receive  six  hundred  livres  a 
year,  until  their  plantation  should  be  in  full  cultiv..Lion, 
or  during  five  years  after  they  should  have  been  fur- 
rished  by  the  company  with  eight  negroes,  on  the  or- 
dinary conditions  on  which  they  were  sold  to  the  colo- 
nists.     It  was  expressly  stipulated,  that  if  the  nuns 
ceased  to  serve  in  the  hospital  as  agreed  upon,  they  would 
forfeit  their  plantation  and  the  immovables  attached 
to  the  hospital,  and  would  retain  only  the  negroes  and 
other  movables. 

An  edifice,  which  is  still  in  existence,  was  constructed 
for  their  use  on  Conde-street,  between  Barracks  and 
Hospit^a  streets.  They  took  possession  of  it  in  1730, 
when  it  was  completed,  and  they  continued  to  occupy 
it  until  1824,  when  they  moved  to  a  more  splendid  and 
more  spacious  convent,  which  they  had  caused  to  ])e 
built,  three  miles  below  the  city,  on  the  bank  of  the 
river.  After  the  State  House  had  bepn  burnt  in  New 
Orleans,  the  Legislature  sat  in  the  old  convent,  and  in 
1831,  its  sacred  walls,  one  century  after  they  had 
pealed  for  the  first  time  Avith  holy  anthems,  and  had 
heard  soft  prayers  whispered  to  the  sweet  Virgin  Mary, 
were  converted  to  purposes  of  legish.,tion,  and  resounded 


URFLECTIONS  ON  RELIOIOUS  ASSOCIATlONa  S8ft 

with  fierce  oratorical  debates.  It  has  since  resuraecl  A 
character  more  consonant  with  its  original  destination, 
imd  hius  become  the  bishop's  palace. 

Such  is  the  humble  origin  of  one  of  the  wealthiest 
religious  corporations  of  the  state.     The  Ursulines  have 
long  ceased  to  be  connected  with  the  charity  hosintaL 
and  have  established  a  convent  for  the  education  of 
lemales.     Heaven   has  ever  after  favored  them  with 
nmnterrupted  prosperity,  and  so  tar,  ha.  spared  them 
those  trials  and  vicissitudes  which  ar.^  the  common  lot 
ot  the  human  race.     In  a  country  where  all  the  laws 
counteract  the  permanent  accumulation  of  wealtli  in 
private  hands,  and  also  where  lay  corporations  of  ever- 
sort  invariably  run  into  debt  and  end  in  bankruptcy, 
the  history  of  these  Ursuline  nuns  is  a  remarkable  dem- 
onstration ot  the  vitalitv,  and  of  the  spirit  of  preserva- 
tion  and  of  acquisition  inherent  to  religious  Catholic 
associations.      It  is  undeniable  that,  to   husband  the 
terrestrial  resources  of  the  world,  and  to  make  the  most 
ot  them,  no  individuals  nor  set  of  people  are  to  be 
compared  with  those  who  deal  in  religious  spirituality, 
and  whose  minds  are  fraught  with  tltougld,  celcstiM. 
I'arched  deserts,  where  it  seemed  that  none  but  the  sala- 
mam  or  could  live,  have  smiled  at  the  command  of  monks, 
and  have  become  the  delightful  habitations  of  man! 
Ihere  stupendous  buildings  have  been  erected  in  the 
very  bosom  of  sterility,  refreshing  waters  have  gushed 
from  tne  burning  sand,  luxuriant  gardens  have  sprung 
into  existence,  the  hot  breeze  has  been  made  sweet 
with  perfumes,  and  the  gorgeous  display  of  opulence 
has  astonished  the  pilgrim  or  the  inquisitive  traveler 
in  places  which  looked  as  if  consecrated  by  nature  tJ 
solitude  and  to  famine.     On  how  many  craggy  side,  of 
desolate  mountains,  where  the  goat  itself  could  hardly 
find  scanty  food,  have  comfortable  human  abodes  been 


i 


1,1 


m\ 


m 


i|     i  ,;.       IT 


■if-      1 


THE  JESUITS. 


hi 


raised,  .ind  flourishinj]^  institutions  been  established 
under  tlio  magic  sj)oll  of  religious  association !  Reli- 
gious asst)ciatioii !  It  gives  even  to  woman  the  strength 
of  a  giant.  There  is  in  it  consolidation,  duration,  infi- 
nite power,  and  almost  ubi([uity  of  influence.  Truly, 
it  is  no  transient  bauble,  Jis  so  many  of  our  political 
or  other  worldly  institutions,  but  it  is  something  to 
study  and  to  admire.  Its  granite  oi'ganization  inspires 
me  with  a  respect  which  discourages  censure,  and  I  feel 
little  disposed  to  analyze  the  good  or  the  evil  it  has 
produced,  and  to  indulge  in  a  })hilosophical  examina- 
tion of  its  bearings  on  the  destinies  of  nations,  aiul  in  a 
pro})hetic  anticipation  of  its  future  doings.  To  pyra- 
mids, the  gi-andeur  of  which  awes  my  sight,  I  bow  with 
that  iimate  love  I  feel  in  my  soul  f()r  the  stupendous, 
without  thinking  or  caring  perha})s  Avhether  harvests 
profitable  to  mankind,  or  raidv  weeds,  will  grow  within 
reach  of  their  lengthened  shadows. 

These  reflections  l(>ad  me  by  an  easy  transiti<m  to  the 
Jesuits,  who  lanih'd  in  Louisiana  at  the  same  time  with 
the  ITrsulines.  The  Suj)erior  of  the  conqiany  of  the 
Louisiana  Jesuits  A\as  to  reside  in  New  Orleans,  but 
could  not  exercise  therein  any  ecclesiastical  functions, 
without  the  permission  of  the  Superior  of  the  Ca{)u- 
chins,  under  whose  spiritual  jurisdiction  New  0)'leang 
ha])])en(Hl  to  be  placed.  The  Jesuits  had  been  trans- 
poi'tcd  to  the  colony  at  the  cost  of  the  company ;  before 
tlu'lr  departure,  and  as  a  gratuity,  eacli  one  I'eceived  150 
livres;  (bu'ing  the  first  two  years  of  the'v  residence  in 
Louisiana,  they  wei'e  to  be  paid  severally  at  the  rate  of 
800  lirres  annually,  and,  afterward,  that  salary  was  to 
be  reduced  to  GOO  livres.  A  concession  of  eight  acres  of 
land,  fronting  on  the  river,  with  the  usual  depth,  was 
made  to  them  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Orleans, 
and  they  long  dwelt  on  a  pkintation^  a  little  above 


DESCRIPTION  OP  NEW  ORLEANS  IN  1727.  38? 

Canal-Street,  in  that  part  of  the  city  which  is  now  called 
the  secon<  municipality.  A  house  and  chapel  were 
constructed  for  them,  and  they  soon  became  as  pole" 
t"l  in  Louisiana,  as  they  are  destined  to  be  wherever 
they  may  have  a  footing.  Tims  New  Orleans  wa^ 
handsomely  provided  with  spiritual  protection,  bein^ 
flanked,  on  the  left,  with  the  Ursulines,  and  on  th! 
right,  with  the  Jesuits.  ^ 

In  the  beginning  of  1727,  the  spot  where  now  stands 
W  Orleans  not  being  protected  by  a  levee,  was  sub- 
jec     o  annual  inundations,  and  presented  no  better  as- 
poot  than  that  of  a  vast  sink  or  sewer.     The  waters  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  of  Lake  Pontchartrain,  met  at  a 
mlgo  ot  high  lan.l,  which,  by  their  commoi  depol 
they  had  formed  between  Bayou  St.  John  and  New^ 
Orleans,  and  which  was  since  called  the  Lepers^  Uvff, 
The  whole  city  was  surrounded  by  a  large  ditch,  and 
fenced   1,1  with   sharp   stakes   wedged  close  together, 
lor  the  jnirposes  ot  draining,  a  ditch  ran  along  the  four 
sides  of  every  squaiv  of  the  city,  and  every  lot  in  every 
square  was  also  ditched  all  round,  causing  New  Orleans 
to  look  very  much  like  a  microscopic  caricature  of 
Venice.     Mosquitoes  buzzed,  and  enormous  frogs  croak- 
ed   incessantly   in  concert    with    other    inde;cribable 
ounds ;  tall  reeds,  and  gniss  of  every  variety,  grew  in 
the  streets  and  in  the  yards,  so  as  to  interrupt  all  com- 
munication, and  offered  a  safe  retreat,  and  places  of 
concealment   to   venomous   reptiles,   wild  beasts,  and 
male  actors,    who,    protected    by   these   imi)enetrable 
.jtingles,    committed    with    impunity  all   sorts    of  evil 
deeds.     It  provoked  a  proclamation  from  liossard  the 
nispector  of  police,  who  complained  bitterly  of  the  \u>.r. 
stretched  oh,tinaq,  with  which,  in  spite  of  repeated  ad- 
monitions,  the  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  persisted  in 
abstaining  l,om  removing  such  nuisances,  and  therefore 


t  ■ 


III? 


il 


388 


FIRST  ACTS  OF  PERIER'S  ADMINISTATIOK 


he  threatened  them  with  condign  punishment.  It  is 
pleasing  to  the  imagination,  to  compare  the  past  with 
the  present,  the  hay  standards  of  primitive  Rome  with 
the  gold  eagles  which  spread  their  wings  in  front  of  the 
legions  of  Csesar. 

Governor  Perier  signalized  the  beginning  of  his  ad- 
ministration by  some  improvements  of  an  important 
nature.  On  the  15th  of  November,  he  had  completed 
in  front  of  New  Orleans  a  levee,  of  eighteen  hundred 
yards  in  length,  and  so  broad  that  its  summit  meas- 
ured eighteen  feet  in  width.  This  same  levee,  although 
considerably  reduced  in  its  proportions,  he  caused  to  be 
continued  eighteen  miles  on  both  sides  of  the  city, 
above  and  below.  He  announced  to  the  company,  that 
he  would  soon  undertake  t>  cut  a  canal  from  New 
Orleans  to  Bayou  St.  John,  in  order  to  open  a  commu- 
nication with  the  sea  through  the  lakes,  and  he  men- 
tioned the  arrangements  which  he  had  made  with  the 
inhabitants  in  relation  to  the  negroes  they  were  to  fur- 
nish for  the  execution  of  this  work,  which  was  actually 
begun,  but  to  which  subsequent  events  put  a  stop. 
Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  plan  of  the  canal  which  now 
bears  the  name  of  Carondelet,  did  not  originate  with 
that  Spanish  governor. 

The  English,  being  at  war  with  the  Spaniards,  were 
intriguing  among  the  Indians,  to  set  them  against  their 
enemies,  and  at  their  instigation,  the  Talapouches  had 
besieged  Pensacola.  But  Governor  Perier  having  sent 
them  word  that,  if  they  did  not  retire,  he  would  cause 
them  to  be  attacked  by  the  Choctaws,  they  obeyed  his 
summons.  He  also  gave  to  the  Spaniards  all  the  indi- 
rect and  secret  aid  that  he  could,  and  he  devoted  much 
time  and  intrigues,  to  exciting  a  feeling  of  hostility 
among  all  the  Indian  nations,  against  the  English. 
Running  up  the  Mississippi,  he  put  an  end  to  several 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  MUSIO  AT  PASCAGOULA.  389 

puny  wars  which  existed  between  small  Indian  tribes 
from  the  Arkansas  to  the  Balize,  so  that  during  the 
year  1727,  an  almost  unprecedented  tranquillity  pre- 
vailed m  the  colc^y.  He  caused  a  censrs  to  be  made 
of  the  negroes,  and  found  that  population  amountino-  to 
2600  souls:  the  whites  hardly  exceeded  that  number. 
Insignificant  aa  this  infant  colony  was,  its  expenses  of 
administration,  this  year,  rose  to  453,728  livres  which 
considering  the  comparative  value  of  the  precious 
metals,  was  at  least  equivalent  to  three  times  that  sum 
m  our  days. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  the  Council  of  State  in  France 
for  reasons  unknown  to  us,  but  which  we  must  suppose 
to  have  been  weighty  afc  the  time,  promulgated  a  de- 
cree, putting  m  force  in  Louisiana  an  old  edict  of  Henry 
Hd,  which  made  it  a  capital  crime  for  unmarried  wo- 
men to  conceal  their  pregnancy.  This  legislative  act 
was  received  in  the  colony  with  exceedingly  marked 
signs  of  displeasure ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that,  on  ac- 
count  of  its  severity,  it  never  was  carried  into  execution 
If  any  case  ever  called  for  its  application. 

During  that  summer.  Governor  Perier,  leaving  New 
Orieans,  visited  the  first  settlements  of  the  French  at 
the  Bay  of  St.  Louis,  at  Biloxi,  Pascagoula,  and  Mobile. 
While  among  the  Pascagoulns,  or  hread-eaters,  he  was 
mvited  to  go  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  of  that  name 
to  listen  to  the  mysterious  music  which  floats  on  the 
waters,  particulariy  on  a  calm,  moonlight  night,  and 
which,  to_  this  day,  excites  the  wonder  of  visitors.     It 
seems  to  issue  from  caverns  or  grottoes  in  the  bed  rf 
the  river,  and  sometimes  oozes  up  through  the  water 
under  the  very  keel  of  the  boat  which  contains  the  lu- 
quisitive  traveler,  whose  ear  it  strikes  as  the  distant 
concert  of  a  thousand  Eolian  harps.     On  the  banks  of 
tiie  nver,  close  by  the  spot  where  the  music  h  heard, 


ill        i  r 

I;     '\ 


W  * 


!i-  ■  I'. 


390 


LEGEND  OP  THE 


it'! 


I 

11      :' 


I 


tradition  says  that  there  existed  a  tribe  diflferent  in 
color  and  in  other  peculiarities  from  the  rest  of  the  In- 
dians. Their  ancestors  had  originally  emerged  from 
the  sea,  where  they  were  born,  and  were  of  a  light  com- 
plexion. They  were  a  gentle,  gay,  inoffensive  race,  liv- 
ing chiefly  on  oysters  and  fish,  and  they  passed  their 
time  in  festivals  and  rejoicings.  They  had  a  temple  in 
which  they  adored  a  mermaid.  Every  night  when  the 
moon  was  visible,  they  gathered  round  the  beautifully 
carved  figure  of  the  mermaid,  and  with  instruments  of 
strange  shape,  worshiped  that  idol  with  such  soul-stir- 
ring music,  as  had  never  before  blessed  human  ears. 

One  day,  a  short  time  after  the  destruction  of  Mau- 
vila,  or  Mobile,  in  1539,  by  Soto  and  his  companions, 
there  appeared  among  them  a  white  man,  with  a  long 
gray  beard,  flowing  garments,  and  a  large  cross  in  his 
right  hand.  He  drew  from  his  bosom  a  book,  which 
he  kissed  reverentially,  and  he  began  to  explain  to  them 
what  was  contained  in  that  sact^ed  little  casket.  Tradi- 
tion does  not  say  how  he  came  suddenly  to  acquire  the 
language  of  those  people,  when  he  attempted  to  com- 
municate to  them  the  solemn  truths  of  the  gospel.  It 
must  have  been  by  the  operation  of  that  faith  which, 
we  are  authoritatively  told,  will  remove  mountains. 
Be  it  as  it  may,  the  holy  man,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months,  was  proceeding  with  much  success  in  his  pious 
undertaking,  and  the  work  of  conversion  was  going  on 
"bravely,  when  his  purposes  were  defeated  by  an  awful 
prodigy.  ^ 

One  night,  when  the  moon  at  her  zenith  poured  on 
heaven  and  earth,  with  more  profusion  than  usual,  a 
flood  of  light  angelic,  at  the  solemn  hour  of  twelve, 
when  all  in  nature  was  repose  and  silence,  there  came, 
on  a  sudden,  a  rushing  on  the  surface  of  the  river,  as  if 
the  still  air  had  been  flapped  into  a  whirlwind  by  myiv 


MYSTERIOUS  MUSIO  AT  PASCAQOULA. 


391 


iads  of  invisible  wings  sweeping  onward.  The  water 
seemed  to  be  seized  with  convulsive  fury ;  uttering  a 
deep  groan,  it  rolled  several  times  from  one  bank  to 
the  other  with  rapid  oscillations,  and  then  gathered  it- 
self up  into  a  towering  column  of  foaming  waves,  on  the 
top  of  which  stood  a  mermaid,  looking  with  magnetic 
eyes  that  could  draw  almost  every  thing  to  her,  and 
singing  with  a  voice  which  fascinated  into  madness. 
The  Indians  and  the  priest,  their  new  guest,  rushed  to 
the  bank  of  the  river  to  contemplate  tl'is  supernatural 
spectacle.  When  she  saw  them,  tho  mermaid  tuned 
her  tones  into  still  more  beAvitchin^  melody,  and  kept 
chanting  a  sort  of  mystic  song,  with  this  often  repeated 
ditty  :— 

"  Come  to  me,  come  to  me,  children  of  the  sea, 
Neither  bell,  book,  nor  cross  shall  win  ye  from  your  queen," 

The  Indians  listened  with  growing  ecstasy,  and  on© 
of  them  plunged  into  the  river  to  rise  no  more.  The 
rest,  men,  women,  and  children,  followed  in  quick  sue- 
cession,  moved,  as  it  were,  with  the  same  irresistible  im- 
pulse. When  the  last  of  the  race  disappeared,  a  wild 
laugh  of  exultation  was  heard ;  down  returned  the  river 
to  its  bed  with  the  roar  of  a  cataract,  and  the  whole 
scene  seemed  to  have  been  but  a  dream.  Ever  since 
that  time,  is  heard  occasionally  the  distant  music  which 
has  excited  so  much  attention  and  i'-vestigation.  The 
other  Indian  tribes  of  the  neighborhood  have  always 
thought  that  it  was  their  musical  brethren,  who  still 
keep  up  their  revels  at  the  bottom  of  the  river,  in  the 
palace  of  the  mermaid.  Tradition  further  relates  that 
the  poor  priest  died  in  an  agony  of  grief,  and  that  ho 
attributed  this  awful  event  and  victory  of  the  powei-s 
of  darkness,  tc  "v  *s  not  having  been  in  a  perfect  state  of 
gi'ace,  when  lie  attempted  the  conversioa  of  those  infi» 


I' 


i;  M 


■'{■ 

■   i 

A 

-^1 

t 

'  «;  ■ 

I  i 


1.  ■ " 


392 


THE  LEGEND  OF 


Aoh.  Ft  is  l)eHeve(l  also  that  lie  said  on  his  death-hed, 
that  tliose  (U'hided  pafi^an  sonls  would  be  redeenK'd  from 
their  bondai^^i!  and  sent  to  the  kin^'doni  of  heaven,  if  on 
a  ('hristiniia  niu^ht,  at  twelve  of  the  clock,  wlusn  the 
moon  shall  hajipen  to  be  at  her  meridian,  a  priest  should 
dare  to  come  aloni^  to  that  musical  spot,  in  a  boat  pro- 
pelled by  himself'  and  should  drop  a  crucifix  into  the 
water.  Hut,  alas  !  if  this  be  ever  done,  neither  the  holy 
man  nor  the  boat  are  to  be  seen  again  by  mortal  eyes- 
So  far,  the  att«'mpt  h<is  not  been  made ;  sceptic  minds 
have  sneered,  luit  no  one  luw  been  found  bold  enough 
to  try  the  experiment. 

Since  I  am  dealing  in  traditionary  lore,  I  may  as  well 
close  this  lecture  with  another  legend,  which,  when  I 
was  a  boy,  thii'ty  years  ago,  a  man  of  eighty  related  to 
me,  as  having  been  handed  down  to  him  by  his  father. 

In  a  lot  situated  at  the  corner  of  Orleans  and  Dau- 
phine  streets,  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  there  is  a  tree 
which  nobody  looks  at  without  curiosity  and  without 
wondering  how  it  came  tlu're.  For  a  long  time,  it  was 
the  only  one  of  its  kind  known  in  the  state,  and  from 
its  isolated  position,  it  luis  always  been  cursed  with 
sterility.  It  reminds  one  of  the  warm  climes  of  Africa 
or  Asia,  and  wears  tlu>  aspect  of  a  stranger  of  distinc- 
tion driven  from  his  native  country.  Indeed,  with  its 
sharp  and  thin  foliage,  sighing  mournfully  under  the 
bhist  (^f  one  of  our  November  northern  winds,  it  looks 
as  sorrowful  as  an  exile.  Its  enormous  trunk  is  nothing 
but  an  agglomeration  of  knots  and  Immps,  which  each 
passing  year  seems  to  have  deposited  there  as  a  mark 
of  age,  and  as  a  protection  against  the  blows  of  time 
and  of  the  world.  Inquire  for  its  origin,  and  every  ons 
"wiW  tell  you  that  it  has  stood  there  from  time  immemo- 
rial. A  sort  of  vague  but  impressive  mystery  is  at- 
tached to  it,  and  it  is  m  supei-stitiously  respected  aa  one 


THE  DATE-TREE. 

of  the  old  oaks  of  Dodoria.  Bold  would  he  the  axe  that 
HhouJd  strike  the  first  Mow  at  that  foreign  patriarch- 
and  if  it  were  prostrat(Hl  to  th(!  ground  hy  a  profane 
hand,  wliat  native  of  the  city  would  not  mourn  over  its 
fall,  and  j)rand  the  act  as  an  unnatural  and  criminal 
deed  ?  So,  long  live  the  date-tree  of  Orleans-street— 
that  tinu'-honoi-ed  descendant  of  Asiatic  ancestors! 

In  the  l)eginning  of  1727,  a  French  vessel  of  war 
land(;d  at  New  Oi-leans  a  man  of  haughty  mien,  who 
wor(>  the  Turkish  dress,  and  whose   whole  attendance 
was  a  single  servant.     He  was  received  hy  the  governor 
with  the  highest  distinction,  and  was  conducted  by  him 
to  a  small  but  comfortable  house  with  a  ])retty  garden, 
then  existing  at  the  corner  of  Orleans  and  T)iui]>hine 
streets,  and  which,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
so  distant  fr-om  other  dwellings,  might  have  been  called 
a  rural  retreat,  although  situated  in  the  limits  of  the 
city.     There,  the  stranger,  Avho  wjis  understood  to  be 
a  prisoner  of  state,  lived  in    the   greatest  seclusion; 
and  although  neither  he  nor  his  attendant  could  be 
guilty  of  indiscretion,  because  none  understootl  their 
language,  and  although  Governor  Perier  severely  re- 
buked  the  slightest  inquiry,  yet  it  seemed  to  be  the  set- 
tled conviction  in  Louisiana,  that  the  mysterious  sti-anger 
wm  a  brother  of  the  Sultan,  or  some  great  personage 
of  the  Ottoman  empire,  who  had  fled  from  the  anger  of 
the  vicegerent  of  Mohammed,  and  who  had  taken  refuge 
in  France.     The  Sultan  had  i)eremptorily  demanded  the 
fugitive,  and  the  French  government,  thinking  it  de- 
rogatory to  its  dignity  to  comply  with  that  request,  but 
at  the  same  time  not  wishing  to  expose  its  friendly  re- 
lations  with  the  Moslem  monarch,  and  perhaps  desir- 
ing,  for  political  purposes,  to  keep  in  hostage  the  impor- 
tant guest  it  had  in  its  hands,  had   recourse  to  the 
expedient  of  answering,  that  he  had  fled  to  Louisiana, 


-(I: 


■       1^ 


J:l 


'k 

5:' 

'i 

|ffi^ 

■t  ■ 

w, 

9M 


THE  LEGEND  OF 


which  Avnfl  ao  (Vistiint  a  country  tluit  it  mi^ht  be  looked 
u{)()n  jis  th(i  ijfnivo,  where,  m  it  wjus  Hui^'ireMted,  the  tugi- 
tive  iuiu:lit  he  sutlered  to  wiiit  in  jh^jicc  for  Jictuul  (h'ath, 
without  (h»ni,^'r  or  ofleuse  to  th«!  Siiltun.  Whether  thia 
story  he  true  or  not  is  now  ii  nuitterofso  little  conse- 
(juence,  that  it  would  not  r(>pay  the  trouble  of  a  sti'ict 
hintorical  investigation. 

The  year  1727  wjus  diawing  to  its  close,  when  on  a 
dark,  stormy  night,  the  howling  and  barking  of  the 
numerous  dogs  in  the  streets  of  New  Orleans  were  ob- 
served to  be  fiercer  than  usual,  an<l  some  of  that  class  of 
individuals  who  ])i'(>teiul  to  know  every  thing,  declared 
that  by  the  vivid  Hashes  of  the  lightning,  they  had  seen, 
swiftly  and  st«'althily  gliding  toward  the  residence  of 
the  uiik'iiotrn,  a  body  of  men  who  wore  the  scowling  ajv 
pearance  of  malefactors  and  ministei's  of  blood.     There 

afterward  came  also  a  report  that  a  i)iratical-looking  Turk- 
ish vessel  had  biH'n  hovering  a  ^vw  days  previous  in  the 
bay  of  IJarataria.     lie  it  jus  it  may,  on  the  next  morn- 
ing the  house  of  the  stnuigei-   wjus  (h^scu'ted.     There 
were  no  ti-aces  of  iiiortiU  sti-uggle  to  be  seen  ;  but  in  the 
g;irdeu,  the  ejirth  had   been  dug,  juid  there  wjus  the  un- 
mistjikid)le  indi«';ition  of  a  recent  grave.     Soon,  how- 
ever, Jill    doubts  were  i-emoved    by  jin   inscri[)tiou  iu 
Arabic  chjii-jicters,   which  wjus  iillixed  to  ji  i)ost,  and 
which  WJUS  sent  to  France  to  be  deciphered.     It  nm 
thus:  "The  justice  of  heaven  is  sjitistied,  and  the  djite- 
tree  sludl  grow  on   the  trjutor\s  tomb.     The  sublime 
Emperor  i)f  t}u>  faithful,  the  supporter  of  the  faith,  the 
onniipofent   nuuster  jind  Sultjin  of  the  woi'ld,  luus  re- 
deemed his  vow.     (lod  is  great,  and  Moluimmed  is  his 
prophet.     Allah!"     Some  time  jifter  this  event,  a  for- 
eign-looking tree  wjus  seen  to  ])eep  out  of  the  spot  where 
a  coi-pst!   nmst  have   been  de})osited  in  tlnit  stormy 
nighty  when  the  I'Jige  of  the  elements  yielded  to  tha 


THE  DATE-TREE. 


395 


pitiless  fury  ox  man,  and  it  thus  explained  in  some  de- 
gree  this  part  of  the  inscription,  "the  date-tree  shall 
grow  on  the  traitor's  grave." 

Who  was  /w,  or  what  had  he  done,  who  had  pro- 
voked  RU(!h  relcinthws  and  far-.m^^king  revenge  'i  Ask 
Nemesis,  or— at  that  hour  when  evil  spirits  are  allowed 
to  roam  over  the  earth,  and  magieal  invocations  are 
made— go,  and  interrogate  the  tree  of  the  (lead. 


1:1 


,!:  ■,) 


I  '-'ll 


i'ii 


FIFTH  LECTURE. 

Absivai.  ok  the  Casket  Oiri.s — Royal  Ordinance  relative  to  the  CoNOEaaiONS 
OF  Lands — Manner  of  bettlino  the  Succession  ok  Frenchmen  married  to 
Indian  Women — French  Husbands — Indian  Wives  —  History  ok  Maoamk 
Dubois,  an  Indian  Squaw — Consi-iuacy  of  the  Natchez  auainst  the  French 
— Massacre  ok  the  French  at  Natchez  in  1729 — Massacre  ok  tub  French 
AT  TUK  Yazoo  Settlement  in  1730 — Atfack  ok  the  Natchez  against  tiir 
French  Settlement  at  Natchitoches — They  ark  beaten  by  Sr.  Denis — Thk 
French  and  Choctaws  attack  the  Natchez — Darino  and  Death  ok  Navarre 

AND   OF    SOME    OK    HIS    COMPANIONS — SlE(iK    OK    THE    NaTCHEZ    FoRTS — FlIQHT   OF 

THE  Natchez— Cruel  Treatment  ok  Natchez  '•......i  i-::^  by  Governor  Peribs 

— Dk^I'bration  ok  the  Nati  hez — The  Chickasaws  grant  an  Asylum  to  thb 
Natchez — Conspiracy  ok  the  Banbara  Neoroes — List  of  the  Principal 
Officers  in  the  Colony  in  1730. 

In  the  beginning  of  1728,  there  came  a  vessel  of  the 
company  with  a  considerable  number  of  young  girls, 
who  had  not  been  taken,  hke  their  predecessors,  from 
houses  of  coi-rection.  The  company  had  given  to  each 
of  them  a  cjisket  containing  some  articles  of  dress. 
From  that  circumstance,  they  became  known  in  the 
colony  under  the  nickname  of  the  "  filles  a  la  cassette," 
or  "  the  casket  girls,"  The  Ursulines  were  requested 
to  take  care  of  them  until  they  should  be  provided 
with  suitable  husbands.  Subsequently,  it  became  a  mat- 
ter of  importance  in  the  colony  to  derive  one's  origin 
from  the  ca-sJc<;t  girh^  rather  than  from  the  correction 
girls.  What  distinctions,  however  slim  they  may  be, 
will  not  be  eagerly  sought  after  by  human  pride  ? 

With  great  propriety,  Governor  Perier  turned  his 
attention  to  the  encouragement  of  the  agriculture  of 
the  couutry,  and  by  words  and  deeds  excited  the  colo- 


THE  LAW  OP  CONCESSIONS  ESTABLISHED. 


397 


nists  to  draw,  out  of  the  fertile  soil   on   which  they 
dwelt,   the   wealth   which   was    concealed   within   its 
bosom.     Kice,  tobacco,  and  indigo  were  cultivated  with 
success  by  the  two  thousand  six  hundred  negroes  that 
were  in  the  colony,  and  the  fig  and  orange  trees,  lately 
introduced,  were  thriving  everywhere,  and  ornament, 
mg  almost  every  garden.     Land  was  rising  in  value, 
and  as  surveys  had  been  carelessly  made,  limits  fixed  in 
a  very  loose  or  arbitrary  manner,  and  titles  of  property 
mostly  mcomplete  from  negligence,  indifterence,  or  from 
some  other  cause,  a  royal  ordinance,  in  order  to  check 
anticipated  lawsuits,  and  to  prevent  future  confusion 
was  issued  on  the  10th  of  August,  1728,  and  declared! 
"That  all  the  orders  of  concession  addressed,  before 
the  30th  of  December,  1723,  by  the  India  Company  in 
France,  to  its  directors  in  Louisiana,  if  not  as  yet  pre- 
sented to  said  directors  for  confirmation,  or  if  not  as  yet 
followed  by  the  possession  and  improvement  stipulated 
in  the  acts  of  concession,  were  null  and  void." 

In  obedience  to  this  ordinance,  every  landholder 
was  bound  to  show  his  titles  to  the  Superior  Council, 
within  a  specified  time,  and  to  designate  the  quantity 
of  land  he  claimed  and  had  culti /ated,  under  the  pen- 
alty of  a  fine  of  1000  livres,  and  of  the  loss  of  the  con- 
ceded land,  which,  in  that  case,  should  escheat  to  the 
company. 

Every  concession  of  land  situated  on  both  sides  of 
the  Mississippi,  below  Manchac,  was  to  be  reduced  to 
twenty  acres,  fronting  on  the  river,  except  it  should  be 
proved  that  a  greater  number  of  acres  was  under  culti- 
vation. 

The  depth  of  every  concession  was  to  vary  from  be- 
tween one  hundred  acres  and  one  hundred  and  twent- 
acres,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  locality. 

The  company  was  authorized  to  raise  a  tax     "  .  -  , 


Si)  ,. 


H.:     M^ 


398 


SETTLEMENT  OP  SUCCESSIONS  OF  FRENCHMEK 


cent  for  every  acre,  cultivated  or  not,  and  of  five  iivres 
for  every  slave.  The  revenue  arising  from  this  tax  waa 
to  be  consecrated  to  the  building  of  churches  and  ho*, 
pitals. 

The  expensss  of  the  colonial  administration  had  con- 
tinued to  be  very  great,  and  had  amounted,  this  year 
to  480,051  livres. 

The  year  1729  dawned  on  the  colony  under  favora- 
ble auspices.     Through  the  harmonious  and  joint  ad- 
ministiation  of  P^rier  and  De  la  Chaise,  tranquillity 
had  been  established  in  the  country,  which,  for  the  fi  •'!:. 
time,  wac  free  from  the  evils  produced  by  the  jealousies 
and  quarrels  of  the  governor,  and  of  the  king's  commis- 
saries.    Unchecked  in  the  exercise  of  the  high  author- 
ity  with  which  he  was  clothed,  De  la  Chaise  turned 
his  attention  to  the  jurisprudence  of  the  country,  and 
to  the  settling  of  disputes  and  juridical  conflicts  among 
the  inhabitaits.     A  case  presented  itself,  in  which  he 
used  his  influence  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  colo- 
nists.    Father  de  la  Vente,  the  bigoted  curate  of  Mo- 
bile, had  demanded  that  the  French  be  authorized  by 
the  government  to  take  Indian  wives.     This  demand 
had  been  opposed  by  the  governor,  Lamothe  Cadillac, 
and  the  king's  commissary,  Duclos.     The  government 
had  neither  sanctioned,  nor  actually  prohibited  such 
marriages,  but  had  merely  recommended  that  they  be 
discoui-aged  as  much  as  possible.     However,  the  church 
had  thought  diflf'erently,  and  conspc?-atf'd  a  great  many 
alliances  of  that  kind.     It  was,  no  doubt,  very  correct, 
in  a  moral  point  of  view,  but  it  ojive  rise  ,o  legal  diffi- 
culties.    Thus,  on  the  death  of  French  husbands,  their 
Indian  wives  claimed,  according  to  the  customs  of  the 
Viscounty  of  Paris,  half  of  their  succession  :  and  if  they 
died  without  issue,  the  property  acquired  during  mar- 
riage went  to  the  Indian  heirs  of  the  wife  in  prefer- 


WITH  INDUN  WIVEa 


soo 


ence  to  the  French  heirs  of  the  husband.    These  In- 
dian  heirs  frequently  ran  away  with  what  was  left  by 
the  dece;.^ed,  and  it  was  next  to  an  impossibility  to 
force  them  to  pay  the  debts  of  the  succession,  and  to 
subject  them  to  the  observance  of  those  formalities  re- 
quired  by,  and  inherent  to,  the  laws  of  succession.     The 
French   were  therefore   clamorous  to  prevent  Indian 
wives  from  enjoying  the  benefit  oi  ths  oii-stom  of  Parw^ 
and  they  urged  that,  to  deviate  from  it  in  such  cases' 
would  be  nothing  but  an  act  of  justice  and  of  sound 
policy,  on  the  ground  that  what  had  been  acquired  by 
the  French  should  remain  to  the  French,  and  not  go  to 
the  huts  of  barbarians,  who  were  their  enemies.    Taking 
these  complaints  into  consideration,  aud  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  De  la  Chaise,  the  Superior  Council  de- 
creed that,  for  the  future,  on  the  death  of  a  French- 
man,  married  to  an  Indian  woman,  the  property  left  by 
the   deceased   should   be   administered,  if  there  were 
minor  children,  by  a  tutor,  and  if  there  were  none,  by 
a  curator  to  vacant  estates,  who  should  pay  annually  to 
the  widow  one  thii'd  of  the  revenue  of  the  estate,  pro- 
vided  that  this  pension  should  cease  in  case  she  return- 
ed to  dwell  among  her  tribe.     The   expenses  of  pre- 
serving from   deterioration,   and  of  keeping  up   the 
goods,  chattels,  and  movable  or  immovable  property 
of  the  succession,  were  to  be  at  the  charge  of  the  chil- 
dren, or  of  the  other  heirs. 

The  fact  is,  that  the  conduct  of  the  Indian  wives 
toward  their  French  husbands,  was  not  such  as  to  en- 
title them  to  much  respect  or  sympathy,  and  adultery 
was  one  of  the  frequent  offenses  of  which  thej  be- 
came guilty.  When  brought  into  the  society  of  the 
white  race,  it  seems  that  they  lost  those  qualities  which 
they  possessed  when  pursuing  the  savage  and  primitive 
life  of  their  ancestors,  and  on  the  other  hand,  they  ao 


ii  1 1 
li 


r 


■\ 


I 


fi! 


(■{«' 


m 


400        VISIT  OF  TWELVE  ILLINOIS  INDIANS  TO  FRANCE, 

quired  none  of  the  virtues  and  blandishments  of  civili- 
zation. One  instance  in  support  of  this  assertion, 
among  many  others  which  might  be  cited,  will  be  suffi- 
cient. 

In  the  district  of  the  Elinois,in  1720,  the  French  had 
built  a  fort,  and  were  living  in  good  intelligence  with 
the  Indians,  when  the  commander,  or  governor  of  the 
district,  no  doubt  with   the  intention  of  producing  a 
deep  impression  on  those  barbarians  by  the  sight  of  the 
number,  the  resources,  and  the  power  of  the  French  na- 
tion, undertook  to  induce  some  of  them  to  pay  a  visit 
to  the  Gf-eat  French  village  across  the  big  salt  lake.     He 
talked  so  much  about  the  marvelous  thing.s  to  be  seen 
in  his  own  country,  that  he  persuaded  twelve  of  the  In- 
dians to  follow  liim  to  France.     One  of  them  was  the 
daughter  of  the  chief  of  the  Illinois,  and  she  is  said  to 
have  been  the  paramour  of  the  governor.     That  officer, 
leaving  the  command  of  his  fort  to  his  lieutenant,  de- 
scended the  Mississippi,  with  his  twelve  Indian  attend- 
ants, and  a  sergeant  named  Dubois,  and  arrived  safely 
at  New  Orleans,  where   they  embarked   for   France. 
There,  they  were  conducted  to  Versailles,  introduced  at 
court,  and  presented  to  the  king,  as  a  samj)le  of  his  red 
subjects   in  Louisiana.     They  amused  the  dllte  of  the 
aristocracy,  by  hunting  a  deer  in  the  Bois  de  Jiouhyue, 
according  to  the  Indian   feshion,  and  the  women,  par- 
ticularly the  daughter  of  the  chief  of  the  Illinois,  who 
was  beautiful,  were  cai-essed  and  petted  for  a  week  by 
duchesses  and  such  highljorn  dames.     They  even  ap- 
peared on  the  floor  of  the  Italian  o])era,  in  Paris,  to 
perform  Indian  dances,  and  they  hud  the  honor  of  being 
the  flitting  wonder  of  a  few  days.     The  Indian  princess 
was  converted  to  Christianity,  baptized  in  tlit;  splendid 
gothic  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame,  with  great  pomp  and 
ceremony,  and  then  married  to  Sergeant  Dubois,  who, 


FORTUNES  OF  DUBOIS  AND  HIS  ILLINOIS  WIFE.  401 

in  consideration  of  this    distinguished   alliance,    waa 
raised  by  the  king,  to  the  rank  of  captain,  and  com- 
mander of  thf    Illinois  District.     She  received  hand- 
some presents  from  the  ladies  of  the  court,  and  from  the 
king  himself     Her  companions  were  not  forgotten,  and 
came  in  for  their  share  of  petticoats,  shining  blue  coats 
and   cocked  hats,   lined   with  gold.      They  were,  of 
course,  very  much  pleased  with  their  reception  by  their 
white  allies,  and  after  having  seen  every  thing,  and 
having  been  exhibited  to  every  body,  they  left  Paris 
and  Versailles,  to  return  to  their  distant  home,  and  de- 
parted in  high  glee  for  Lorient,  where  they  took  ship. 
With  regard  to  the  officer  who  had  brought  them  to 
France,  he  remained  in  his  native  country,  gave  up 
forever  all  thoughts  of  returning  to  Louisiana  and  to 
Indian  paramours,  and  married  a  rich  widow,  who  like 
Desdemona,  had   loved  him  for  the  dangers  he  had 
pa^ssed^  among 

"  Cannibals  that  each  other  eat, 
Tlie  anthroponliagi,  and  men  whose  heads 
Do  grow  beneatli  their  shoulders." 

The  Indians,  when  they  arrived  at  New  Orleans,  were 
entertained  in  that  city  at  the  expense  of  the  India  Com- 
pany.    They  were  also  supi)lied  ^vith  boats  and  rowers, 
and  with  an  escort  of  soldiers,  and  thus  transported 
back  to  the  Illinois.     Great  were  the  rejoicings  among 
thos'^  peoi)le,  who  had  long  thought  they  had  lost  some 
of  their  most  important  and  most  cherished  membei-s. 
Dubois  took  possession  of  the  fort  jis  the  commander  of 
the  district,  and  there  lived  for  a  short  time  in  the  full 
enjoyment  of  power  and  peace.     His  wife,  however, 
used  to  pay  to  her  relations  among  her  tribe,  more  fre- 
quent visits  than  he  liked.     One^day,  she  helped  her 
people  to  surprise  the  fort,  and  Dubois  and  the  whole 
garrison  were  butchered  without  mercy.     Madame  Du- 


f 
J 

w\ 

'1 

■  "  i 

1 

> 

■ 

1 

f 

1 

!# 


jj|t 


402 


CHARACTER  OF  CHOPART. 


\% 


bois  then  renounced  Christianity,  stripped  herself  of  her 
cumbersome  French  dress,  and  returned  to  the  worship 
of  her  old  idols,  to  her  early  habits,  and  to  the  savage 
life  which,  it  seemed,  had  lost  in  her  eyes  none  of  its 
primitive  attractions.  So  much  for  the  attempt  to  tamo 
lions  and  tigers ! 

Perier  on  his  arrival  in  the  colony,  had  been  struck 
with  its  defenseless  situation,  and  with  the  necessity  of 
fortifying  the  distant  settlements.  He  had  made  fre- 
quent remonstrances  on  the  subject  to  the  company, 
and  had  solicited  an  additional  force  of  two  or  three 
hundred  men.  But  his  fears  were  treated  as  chimerical, 
and  his  motives  misunderstood.  It  was  thought  that, 
by  asking  for  more  troops,  his  intention  was  to  give 
more  importance  to  his  command,  and  to  engage  in 
some  war  in  order  to  display  military  talents.  But 
subsequent  events  justified  Perier's  apprehensions. 

In  1729,  the  French  settlement  at  Natchez  was  under 
the  command  of  an  officer  called  Chopart,  Cbepart,  or 
Etcheparre.  He  was  rapacious,  haughty,  and  tyrannical, 
and  l)y  repeated  acts  of  oppression  and  injustice,  had 
made  himself  odious  to  those  over  whom  he  ruled.  One 
day,  he  ordered  a  subordinate  officer  to  be  put  in  irons 
without  cause.  The  officer,  Avho  was  no  other  than  Du- 
mont,  well  known  for  the  interesting  historical  memoirs 
he  has  left  on  Louisiana,  having  succeeded  in  escaping 
from  his  prison,  fled  to  New  Orleans,  and  laid  his  com- 
plaint before  Governor  Perier.  Chopart  was  summoned 
to  head-quarters,  tried  by  his  peers,  and  found  guilty  of 
an  abuse  of  power.  He  would  even  have  been  broken, 
if  pressing  and  powerful  solicitors  had  not  obtained  \m 
pardon  from  Governor  Perier.  But  he  was  reinstated 
in  his  office,  only  or.  condition  that  he  should  change 
his  conduct,  and  treat  those  under  him  with  more  jus- 
tice and  mildness. 


OPPRESSIVBFaoCEElHIfGSAOlINSTTHENATCHEi     403 

Having  received  a  salutary  lesson,  Chopart,  on  his 
Wtum  to  Natchez,  acted  toward  the  white  population 
with  tnore  reserve  but  he  made  up  for  it  by  treating 
the  Indians  ^vith  insolence  and  cruelty.    Acquainted, 
BO  doubt,  with  the  instructions  given  to  Perier  by  the 
company,  and  in  which  the  wish  was  expressed  that  the 
^atchez  to  prevent  further  collisions,  should  be  induced. 
If  possible,  to  remove  farther  off,  he  acted  according/ 
and  heaped  every  sort  of  outrage  and  insult  upon  that 
devoted  race  to  force  them  to  abandon  the  spot  they 
had  occupied  for  so  many  centuries.    Seeing  that  by 
such  means  he  did  not  obtain  the  object  he  had  in 
view,  he  went  still  further.     One  day,  he  summoned  to 
tis  presence  the  Great  Sun,  and  told  that  chief  that  he 
Chopart,  had  received  orders  from  Governor  Perier  to 
take  possession  of  the  beautiful  village  of  the  Whita 
Apple,  which  was  situated  six  miles  from  the  French 
fort,  and  there  to  establish  a  plantation,  and  to  con- 
struct  certain  buildings;   ivherefore  it  was  necessary 
that  the  Natchez  should  remove  to  some  other  place.- 
which  they  might  occupy  without  prejudice  to  tha 
French.     I  his  intimation  was  given  in  an  abrupt  man- 
ner, without  the  slightest  attempt  at  conciliation.    It- 
was  the  tone  of  an  eastern  despot,  speaking  to  a  slave; 
1  he  Great  Sun  looked  at  Chopart  with  a  composed  but 
luquisitive  eye,  and  said:-- Surely,  my  white  brother 
does  not  speak  m  earnest,  but  wishes  only  to  try  the 
fortitude  of  the  red  man.    Does  not  my  white  brother 
know  that  the  Natchez  have  lived  in  that  vilk-e  for 
more  years  than  there  are  hairs  in  the  twisted^ock 
which  hangs  from  the  top  of  my  head  to  my  waist?" 
foolish   barbarian  I"   exclaimed  the  French   officer, 
with  kindling  ire  and  fierce  contempt.     «  What  ties  of 
brotherhood  can  there  be  between  thy  race  and  mine  ? 
1  liave  no  explanations  or  apology  to  give  to  such  as 


-I',  i 


i. 


404 


OOUNOII.  OP  THB  !f  ATOHEi 


iJ 


tlioii.     Tt  ia  sufficient  for  tTiee  to  know  tliat  I  ohej  su- 
perior orders — <)})ey  mine  !" 

In  spite  of  tlie  habitual  command  of  an  Indian  over 
Lis  muselos  and  features,  and  liis  avei>«ion  to  any  dtMnon- 
stration  of  liia  inward  fcn^lint^,  wlien  such  hinguai^*^  fell 
on  the  ears  of  the  (rreat  Sun,  liis  eyes  flashed  and  Km 
brejist  heaved  up  witli  emotion,  but  he  replied  with  a 
calm  voice :  "  l^rother,  we  have  not  been  used  to  such 
treatment.  So  far,  the  French  have  taken  nothing  from 
us  by  force.  Whar,  they  possess,  "we  gave  frc^ely,  or 
they  purchased.  Wishing  to  live  in  peace  with  thy  njv> 
tion,  I  say  to  thee :  We  have  other  lands  that  we  can 
spare — take  them ! — can  we  <lo  moj-t;  ?  Hut,  as  to  tho 
village  of  the  White  Ap])le,  leave  it  untouched  in  tha 
hands  of  the  Natchez.  There  Ave  have  a  tem])le,  and 
then^  the  bont^s  of  our  ancestors  have  slept  since  w« 
came  to  dwell  on  the  bank  of  the  father  of  rivers.^ 
Cho])art  listened  to  this  touching  apjieal  with  an  ironi- 
cal smile,  and  said : — "  I  will  not  bandy  fine  sentimenta 
with  thee,  romantic  Indian ;  but  mark  my  word,  and 
remend)(>r  that  I  shall  keep  it.  Toward  the  latter  pai-t 
of  Novend)er,  I  expect  a  giilley  from  New  Orb  ans.  If, 
when  she  arrives,  the  village  of  the  Wiiite  Apple  is  not 
delivered  up  to  me,  I  will  send  thee  bound  hand  and 
foot  to  our  great  chief  in  our  grc^at  village  down  the 
river.  Thou  sec^st  that  I  mak«i  short  work  of  it.  Go.** 
"  Good,  1  see,"  replied  tho  Indian ;  "  and  1  go  liome  to 
lay  thy  communication  })efore  the  old  and  wise  mea  of 
the  nation." 

When  all  the  magnates  of  the  Natchez  met  in  council, 
at  the  call  of  their  sovereign,  every  one  of  them  km»\y 
beforehand  the  subject  of  their  future  deliberations. 
The  words  of  the  French  chief  had  been  spoken  jmli- 
licly,  and  had  s])read  like  wildlire,  causing  the  utmost 
indignation,  and  rousing  tho  eluwbering  Latrcd  which 


I 


8PEK0II  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  THE  WHITE  APPLE.  405 

bad  been  pent  up  in  mere  than  one  breast  uLmin.st  the 
aisolent  .ntru.lerM.     Eut  wlien  what  had  happened  waa 
olhcially  coninnuiicated  by  the  Great  Sun,  there  was  in 
the  assembly  a  fresh  outburst  of  indii^nation,  which  was 
Jiuslu'd  up  and  .^rave  })hiee  to  profound  nik'nce,  w^  en  the 
chiet  ol  the  White  Apple  was  seen  to  rise.     Next  to  the 
tireat  Sun,  he  mis  the  most  influential  man  amon-  the 
Natchez,  on  account  of  his  exploits  as  a  warrior,  and  of 
luH  elcxiuence  as  an  orator.     Majestically  rising,  he  stood 
up,  l)uried  as  it  were  in  profound  meditation,  while  all 
C3y(^s  were  riveted  on  his  noble  form.     After  the  lapse 
vt  a  tew  minutes,  he  thus  l»egan  :  - 

"  Chihlren  of  tin.  S.m,  ol<l  traditions  and  oracles  have 
long  informed  us  of  the  approaching  doom  that  awaits 
our  nation.     We  have  had  ancestors,  but  we  are  den- 
tnuul  to  be  the  ancestors  of  no  human  beings.     If  those 
traditions  and  oracles   are  true;    nay,   if  portentous 
Bigns  and  apj.i'arances  are  to  be  believed,  soon  this  na- 
tion    which  once  was  s(»  powerful,  will  ceme  to  exist;' 
We  hav(,  b(>en  gradually  shrinking  up  into  a  small  and 
weak  i)opulation,  and  our  once  broad  domains,  which  ifc 
required  so  many   moons    to   travel   over,   have    fast 
escaiK'd  from  our  grasp,  as  water  oozes  through  the 
iing(,rs  by  which  it  is  clutched.     Diseases,  frequent  hu- 
man sacrifices  in  honor  of  our  dead  chiefs,  and  lon<-  wars 
mth  sonu*  of  the  red  t.'ihes  by  which  we  are  surroimdeci 
liad  contributed  to  diminish  our  numbers,  when,  on  a 
midden,  there  came  iqx.ii  us  this    hostile  race,  the'  pale- 
faced  warriors,  who  had  been  announced  to  us  us  our 
future  destroyers.     JJowing  to  the  decree  of  the  Great 
Spu'it,  and  yielding  to  the  superior  powers  which  we 
recognized  in  these  strange  men,  we  tried  to  conciliate 
their  good-will,  and  we  granted  them  land  and  all  sorts 
ot  supplies.     What  luis  been  the  consequence?     Every 
year  they  have  become  more  greedy,  exacting,  and  over- 


v406 


SPEECH  Of 


.bearing.    Every  year,  between  them  and  our  pcop]<?, 
quarrels  liave  sprung  up,  in  which  blood  was  shed,  and 
•  for  wliich  we  had  to  make  atonement,  sometimes  at  the 
cost  of  the  heads  of  our  most  illustrious  warriors.    The 
vicinage  of  these  men  has  become  at  last  an  intolera})l8 
curse  upon  us.     With  their  merchandise  and  new  wares, 
they  have  introduced  new  wants  among  our  people, 
corrupted  their  morals,  and  changed  particularly  tha 
manners  of  our  young  men,  who  now  des])ise  the  rug. 
ged  virtues  of  their  forefathei-s  to  ape  the  frivolity  of 
the  French,  and  have  become  eft'eminate  and  worthless 
drunkards.     As  to  our  women,  their  heads  have  been 
turned  by  the  silver  tongue  and  the  gaudy  plumage  of 
these   loose  strangers.      What   Is  the   result?     Why, 
that  debauchery  has  crei)t  into  every  bosom,  and  that 
the  very  blood  of  the  Natchez  is  tainted  iu  its  source. 
Which  of  us  is  sui-e  now  of  the  affections  and  of  the 
purity  of  his  daughter  or  of  his  wife,  when  yonder 
thieves  are  prowling  about  our  dwellings  ?     Before  the 
French  settled  near  us,  we  were  in  the  full  enjoyment 
of  the  greatest  of  blessings— boundless  freedom  i    What 
are  we  now  ^—hardly  better  than  slaves  !— are  we  noi 
controlled  iu  every  thing,  and  dare  we  move  without 
askmg  leave  from  that  haughty  chief  who  sits  in  you- 
der  fort  with  the  white  flag?     Are  they  not  stripping 
us  every  day  of  the   remaining  rags  of  our  ancient 
lil)erty  'i     Do  they  not  freijuently  strike  us  with  clubs, 
as  they  do  with  the  black  slaves?     Depend  upon  it, 
they  will  soon  seize  upon  us,  put  us  in  irons,  force  us  to 
work  for  them  in  their  fields,  tie  us  to  posts  and  apply 
the  lash  to  our  backs,  as  they  do  with  the  black  faces. 
Shall  we  wait  for  that  moment,  or  shall  we  not  prefer 
to  die  before,  but  satiated  with  blood  and  surfeited 
with  revenge  ?"  • 

Here  a  low  and  suppressed  growl,  forcing  its  way,  as 


'.!     i 
III 


CHIEF  OP  THE  WHITE  APPLt 


407 


hi. 

.5:!;;  in 


it  were,  through  clenched  teeth,  was  heartV  running 
throu,^rll  that  grim-visai,re(l  assembly,  and  some  of  the 
youtif,-  wai-riors,  giving  way  to  their  excitement,  started 
up  from  their  seats,  and  uttering  a  fierce  shout,  shook 
their  tomahawks  with  wild  fury.     The  orator  looked 
round  with  a  grave  and  rebuking  glanco,  as  if  disap. 
proving  the  undignified  and  premature  display  of  feel- 
ings by  which  he  had  been  interrupted,  and  waving  his 
hand  as  if  he  comnumded  silence,  he  thus  continued  :— 
"  Have  we  not  met  now  to  deliberate  on  a  i)eremptory 
command  which  the  French  have  ventured  to  send  to 
MS  ?     Have  we  not  l)efore  us  a  sample  of  their  present 
audacity,  and  the  harliinger  of  their  future  daring  t 
Have  they  not  ordered  us  to  relinquish  to  them  thd 
harvests  which  grow  around  us,  and  which  are  the  re- 
sults of  our  labors  ?     Do  they  not  order  us  away  from 
the  village  of  the  White  Apple,  to  f.liift  for  ourselves 
in  the  woods  like  wild  beasts?     Will  they  not  soon 
drive  us  out  of  the  other  villages  ?     What  then  will 
become  of  the  tombs  of  our  ancestors  and  of  the  cradles 
of  our  children  'i     The  \s^hite  faces  will  run  their  plows 
over  the  bones  of  our  dead,  and  put  their  cattle  in  our 
temples.     Shall  we  consent  to  such  profanation  ?     Are 
we  not  strong  enough  to  prevent  it  ?     We  are.     Shall 
we  wait  until  the  French  l)ecome  so  numerous  that  w0 
shall  not  be  able  to  resist  oppression  ?     For  my  part,  I 
say— no !     We  can  destroy  them  all,  if  we  choose,  and 
if  we  act  with  proper  courage  and  skill.     Should  we  bo 
doomed  in  our  turn  to  perish  all,  and  leave  none  of  our 
race  behind,  let  it  not  be  without  having  struck  a  blow- 
worthy  of  the  children  of  the  Sun.     Let  us  not  be  im- 
molated, like  bleating  sheep  without  resistance,  but  let 
us  die  like  warriors,  after  having  done  a  deed  that  will 
make  the  name  of  the  Natchez  famous  among  all  thd 
red  tribes,  however  distant  they  may  be  from  our  na- 


'  J 


m 


I  :  (, 


403 


SPEECH  r  F  TBI 


tive  LIlls.  I  pause .....  to  put  tTiis  question.  Shall 
we  yield  our  birth-place,  our  beautiful  valleys,  our  tem- 
ples, our  sacred  mounds,  the  tombs  of  our  ancestors, 
and  every  thing  that  we  hold  dear,  without  a  struggle  ? 
and  shall  we  only  utter  impotent  waiJings  like  babes, 
when  deprived  of  their  playthings?  Shall  we  move 
away  like  a  nation  of  cowardly  beggars,  to  steal  from 
Bome  weaker  tribe  the  land  that  we  shall  want  for  our 
sujiport  ?  War  or  submission!— which  do  you  choose? 
I  wait  for  an  answer." 

A  simultaneous  war-cry  announced  the  spontaneous 
decision  of  the  assembly  to  the  orator,  who  thus  re- 
Bumed  his  address,  with  a  grim  smile  of  exultation. 

"I  see  with  pride  that  the  contact  of  the  French 
has  not  yet  turned  the  Natchez  into  mean-spirited  wo- 
men.    Now,  listen  to  what  I  propose  for  the  full  and 
secure  accomplishment  of  our  design.     We  have  always 
been  reputed  to  have  more  mind  than  the  other  red 
nations ;  let  us  show  it  on  this  occasion.     All  the  In- 
dians-^the  Yazoos,  the  Chickjisaws,  the  Choctaws,  and 
others,  have  equally  suffered  like  us  from  French  inso- 
lence,  and  must  be  tired  of  their  oppi-essive  domination. 
Let  us  invite  them  to  forget  our  past  hostilities,  to  join 
With  us  in  a  holy  alliance  against  the  common  enemy, 
and  to  free  our  father-land  with  one  blow  from  the' 
hated  presence  of  strangers.     Let  ambassadors  be  forth, 
with  sent  to  them,  to  lay  our  proposition  before  their 
councils  of  wise  men.    If  they  adopt  it,  let  bundles, 
made  up  of  an  equal  number  of  small  sticks,  be  remitted 
to  them,  and  let  one  stick  be  removed  every  day.    The 
last  remaining  one  will  designate  the  day  when  this 
combined  attack  shall  be  made  against  the  French,  over 
the  whole  face  of  the  country.    Thus  assailed  by  sur- 
prise,  and  isolated,  cut  off  from  the  reciprocal  succor 
•wluck  the  several  settlements  would  give  to  each  other 


Mi 


CHIEF  OF  THE  WHITE  APPLE. 


409 


if  this  plan  be  not  adopted,  the  French  must  succumb 
under  the  vastly  superior  numl)ers  that  we  shall  bring 
against  them.     But,  for  the  successful  execution  of  this 
combination,  we  must  gain  time,  and  we  must  humbly 
entreat  our  august  sovereign,  the  Great  Sun,  here  pres- 
ent, to  enter  into  negotiations  with  the  hungry  Fi-ench 
wolf,  crocodile-hearte^J  chief  in  yonder  fort,  to  obtain, 
by  dint  of  presents,  that  our  removal  be  postponed,  and 
that  the  delay  be  sufficiently  long  to  ripen  to  maturity 
the  good  fruit  of  this  day's  deliberations.     The  chief 
of  the  White  Apple,  children  of  the  Sun,  has  but  one 
more  recommendation  to  make,  with  a  view  to  secure 
the  success  of  our  enterprise :  that  is,  the  observation  of 
secrecy.     You  know  that  women  are  never  to  be  trusted 
in  any  thing,  much  less  with  designs  of  importance. 
They  are  fickle  and  indiscreet,  and  they  can  no  more 
keep  a  secret  than  a  sieve  will  hold  water.     Besides, 
many  of  them  love  the  French,  and  would  certainly 
betray  us.     Therefore,  let  us  swear  Ijefore  we  separate, 
to^  keep  our  lips  sealed,  and  not  to  say  one  word  which 
might  give  to  our  women  the  slightest  intimation  of 
what  we  intend.     The  chief  of  the  White  Apple  has 
done,  children  of  the  Sun,  and  waits  for  better  advice." 
The  orator  sat  down  amid  a  universal  hum  of  ap- 
plause,^ and  all  his  propositions  were  accepted  by  ac- 
clamation. 

The  next  day,  the  Great  Sun  called  at  the  French 
fort,  and  representing  to  Chopart  how  ill  pr 'spared  they 
were  to  move  so  suddenly,  without  having  selected 
the  place  whither  they  could  transport  their  effects  he 
obtained  that  the  fulfillment  of  the  order  of  expulsion 
should  be  postponed  until  the  latter  part  of  December 
provided  that  the  Natchez  should  pay  to  Chopart,  in 
the  interval,  a  contribution  consisting  of  one  barrel' of 
corn,  and  a  certain  quantity  of  fowls,  fm-s,  and  beai-'s 


li^ 


I 


410  INDIAN  LEAOITR—SUSPIOIONS  OP  THE  WOMEN. 


11 


oil,  for  each  and  every  cabin  of  tlio  White  Apple  vil- 
lage: which  was  a  ])i\'tty  (•()ii,si(h'ral)le  and  valualde 
contribution,  considei-iiii,'  tlmt  tlicre  were  eighty  cabins 
in  tlie  vilhige.  'Phe  (ii-eut  Sun  and  the  F  fich  officer 
parted  witli  niutnal  satisfaction  at  the  bargain  tliey  had 
made.  The  one  had  gi-utified  liis  apj)etite  for  gain,  und 
the  otlier  thought  tluit  he  had  secured  his  revenge. 

After  some  time,  the  ambassadors  of  the  Natche;5  re- 
tui-ned,  and  brought  back  tlie  information,  that  all  the 
Indian  nations  to  wliich  they  had  been  sent,  liad  eagerly 
embi-aced  the  iirojwsition  made  to  them,  and  had  en- 
tered into  the  league  against  the  French,  whom  they 
would  attack  on  the  day  fixed.     Thus,  the  whole  col- 
ony was  threatened  with  total  destruction,  thi-ough  the 
imprudence  of  an  a\;u-icious  and  tyrannical  suV)altern 
officer.     It  is  evident  that  the  Indians  could,  at  any 
time,  if  united,  have  crushed  th(^  French  without  much 
effort,  if  we  believe  a  statement  made  by  Diron  d'Ar- 
taguette,  in  a  dispatch,  dated  on  the  l>th  of  December, 
1728,  and  in  which  lie  estimated  that  the  Indians  set- 
tled on  the  banks  of  the  principal  i-ivers  of  Louisiana, 
could  set  on  foot  seventeen  thousand   men,  and  said 
that  with  regard   to  the  inland   nations,  one  of  them 
alone,  the  nation  of  the  Choctaws,  could  bring  into 
the  field  ten  thousand  warriors. 

All  the  movements  whit-li  I  have  related,  had  not 
taken  place  among  the  Natchez,  Avitliout  exciting  the 
suspicions  of  the  women  ;  and  with  that  eager  curiosity 
which  is  said  to  characterize  their  sex,  they  went  to 
work  to  discover  what  was  in  the  wind.  The  Great 
Sun,  whose  intended  suicide,  on  the  death  of  his 
brother  Stung  Sei'pent,  had  been  prevented  by  the 
French,  had  since  died,  and  had  been  succeeded  l)y  a 
young  Sun,  his  nepluMv,  the  same  who  had  struggled 
with  the  Great  Sun,  to  take  possession  of  the  gun  with 


THE  MOTHER  OF  THE  GREAT  SUN. 


411 


which  that  prince  wanted  to  l)low  out  his  hrains.     The 
mother  of  the  new  soverei^m,  wjis  a  woman  distinguish- 
ed for  her  intelle.'t.     She  had  a  great  deal  of  pa.-tiality 
for  the  Frendi,  and  it  was  even  repoi-ted  tliat  lier  son 
was  the  oftsi.ring  of  an  amour  she  had  cari-icd  „n  with 
a  French  officer.     Disquieted  ])y  tlie  o}>servations  she 
had  made,  she  inquired  of  her  son  what  was  the  motive 
of  the  recent  meetings  of  the  nobles  and  of  the  embas- 
sies which  had  sj)ed  in  every  (iirection.     He  answered 
her,  that  the  object  of  these  missions  was  merely  to  re- 
new the  alliances  of  the  Natcheii  with  the  other  nations 
and  to  smoke  with  them  the  calumet  of  peace.     She  ap 
peared  satisfied  with  the  answer :  but  when,  on  the  re- 
turn of  the  ambassadors,  she  saw  that  instead  of  receiv- 
ing them  publicly,  as  was  the  old  custom,  the  nobles 
met  m  secret  session  to  listen  to  their  communication, 
which  was  not  afterward  made  known  to  the  people^ 
all  her  feai-s  revived,  and  she  resolved  to  penetrate  into 
such  mysterious  proceedings. 

She  requested  the  Great  Sun  to  accompany  her  to  a 
village  called  the  Qn-n  Village,  where  she  pretended  to 
have  a  female  relation  extremely  sick,  who  required  her 
assistance.  On  her  son  complying  with  her  wish,  she 
dei)arted  with  him,  and  took  the  least  frequented  path, 
under  the  pretext  that  it  was  the  most  shady,  and  the 
most  agreeal)le.  When  they  arrived  at  a  spot  which 
the  princess,  from  its  solitary  ai)pearance,  thought  the 
most  free  from  unexpected  intrusion,  and  therefore  most 
favora})le  for  the  accomplishment  of  her  design,  she 
pleaded  fatigue,  and  begged  her  son  to  sit  down  by  her. 
She  then  addressed  him  thus : 

"  The  weariness  of  my  old  limbs  is  not  the  only  cause 
why  I  stop  here,  my  son.  I  wished  for  an  opportunity 
to  speak  to  thee  in  private,  and  without  fear  of  inter- 
ruption.    Open  thy  eai-s  to  admit  my  words  into  thy 


-  m 


412 


THE  MOTHER  OF  THE  OREAT  SUN 


brain,  ])ecftu.se  they  are  weiglity.     I  have  always  taught 
thee  to  avoid  a  lie  an  the  most  disgraceful  of  sins,  and  I 
have  always  told  thee  that  a  liar  did  not  deserve  to  be 
looked  npon  as  a  man,  much  less  as  a  warrior.     But 
were  a  Sun,  and  particularly  the  chief  of  the  Suns,  to 
tell  a  lie,  he  Avould  full  even  l)eneath  the  contempt  of 
women.     I  low  can  I  (kiul)t,  therefore,  but  that  thou  wilt 
speak  the  truth  to  thy  mother  ?     Are  not  all  the  Suns 
bound  together  with  fraternal  ties,  whether  they  be 
males  or  females?     Are  not  their  interests  the  same? 
Are  they  not  ])ut  one  family?     And  if  there  be  some 
shadow  of  an  excuse  for  not  trusting  one  or  two  young 
and  giddy-headed  female  Suns,  does  "the  same  reason  ex- 
ist for  the  aged  and  trust-worthy,  and,  abov<-  all,  for  the 
gray-haii-ed  mother  of  the  sovereign  of  the  Natchez? 
I  have  discovered  that  there  is  a  secret  at  work  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Suns;  and  yet  that  secret  is  kept  conceal- 
ed from  me,  as  if  my  lips  had  been  cut  wide  apart,  and 
could  no  longer  b."  sealed!     Do  I  deserve  such  treat- 
ment  ?     Does  it  not  reflect  shame  and  disgrace  on  thee  ? 
Tlie  contempt  shown  to  a  mother  taints  the  son  through 
skin,  flesh,  and  bones.     Dost  thou  know  me  to  be  vile, 
and  capable  of  betraying  thee  and  my  tribe?     Thou 
dost  not  dare  to  harbor  the  thought  that  I  can  inten- 
tionally conmiit  such  a  crime  !    Well  then  !    Didst  thou 
even  know  me  to  be  talking  in  my  sleep  ?     Why  there- 
fore am  I  not  trusted,  as  it  is  my  right  ?     Why  am  I 
spat  upon  by  my  tribe,  and  by  my  son  ?     Wliere  is  the 
cause  of  such  heart-bruising  contumely  ?     What !  hast 
thou  not  come  out  of  my  womb?     Whence  dost  thou 
draw  thy  blood  but  from  my  veins  ?     Whence  did  flow 
the  milk  which  fed  thy  infant  lips  but  from  my  breast? 
Wouldst  thou  be   a  Sun— nay,  the  Great  Sun,  wert 
thou  not  my  child?     Without  the  tender  nursing  with 
which  I  surrounded  thy  cradle  where  wouldst  thou  be  ? 


ENDEAVORS  TO  PENETRATE  THE  SECRET. 


413 


By  me,  and  through  me,  thou  art  every  thing,  and  to 
me  thou  ai-t  the  most  i)reci()u.s  and  ino.st  beloved  thing 
I  possess.     Yet  I  stand  now  })y  thy  side,  without  being 
even  looked  at,  and  no  more  noticed  by  thee,  than  if  I 
were  a  worthless  cur !     Why  dost  thou  not  drive  me 
away  with  thy  foot,  or  thy  whip  ?     Is  it  because  in  our 
nation,  a  son  ha3  never  been  guilty  of  such  an  outrage 
toward  his  mother?     Nay  then— why  dost  thou  insult 
me,  in  a  different,  it  is  true,  l)ut  no  less  mortifying  man^ 
ner?     To  conceal  from  w,  the  oldest  female  Sun,  me, 
the  mother  of  the  sovereign  of  the  Natchez,  a  great  na- 
tional resolution  taken  by  our  nobles,  what  is  it  but  an 
afti-ont  equivalent  to  a  blow  ?     When  the  womb  of  the 
whole  nation  is  heaving  up  with  the  conception  of  a  big 
design,  could  such  throes  escape  my  motherly  penetra- 
tion?    Am  I  a  fool  'i     Am  I  an  idiot?     Was  it  becom- 
ing in  thee  to  wait  until  I  should  descend  to  an  inquiry  ? 
And  shouldst  thou  not,  before  this  time,  have  opened 
thy  mind  to  thy  mother?     Didst  thou  think  that  I 
have  lived  so  long  without  having  accpired  sagacity 
enough  to  lo'^]^  into  thy  heart  with  as  much  facility  as 
intr  any  of  our  wells  of  pure   water?     The  Natchez 
meditate  to  rise  upon  the  French,— Is  it  not  the  truth  ? 
Is  not  my  finger  on  the  sore  ?     Nay ;  why  dost  thou 
start,  and  why  this  bewildered  look  ?     None  of  the  pale 
faces  listen  to  us,  and  dost  thou  fear  that  I  shall  sell 
thee  in  bondage  to  them  ?     What  dost  thou  imagine 
they  could  give  me,  me  whose  body  is  bent  with  age, 
and  whose  feet  are  already  sprinkled  with  the  dust  of 
death,  in  exchange,  or  as  a  full  price  for  a  son's  blood  ? 
Ard  now,"  said   she,  rising  with  soler-n  dignity,  and 
speaking  with  the  deepest  emphasis,  "  farewell  forever  ! 
T)ie  earth  refuses  to  bear  the  burden  of  the  mother 
who  is   despised  by  her  son :— the  blessed  air  which 
drops  from  heaven  is  profaned  by  entering  her  lungs. 


.  1 


11, 


li 


414 


THE  GREAT  SUN'S  MOTHER 


Dig  my  grave  :  for  the  siglit  of  thy  dishonored  motlier 
shall  not,  to-inorrovv,  disgrace  any  longer  the  ancestral 
rays  of  yonder  God,  from  whom  we  draw  our  origin." 
Warm  tears  gushed  from  the  t^es  of  the  young  prince 
wlien  he  heard  reproaches  which  racked  liis  heart,  but 
he  preserved  liis  composure,  and  whatever  might  have 
been  his  inward  emotion,  he  calndy  rose,  and  seizin^  his 
mother  by  the  arm,  he  gently  forced  her  to  resume'' her 
seat.     Tlien,  several  minutes  elapsed,  when  he  seemed 
to  be  buried  in  reflection,  and  to  be  struggling  against 
the  opposite  influences  of  affection  ancl  of  prudence. 
At  last  he  said,  mournfully  and  respectfully :— «  Mother* 
thy  i-ei)i-oaches  are  poisoned  ai-rows  which  pierce  my 
heart.     These  reproaches  are  not  deserved.      I  have 
never  repulsed  nor  despised  thee.     l]ut  hast  thou  ever 
iieard  that  it  wiis  permitted  to  reveal  what  had  been 
resolved  by  the  wise  men  of  the  nation  in  secret  coun- 
cil?    Am  I  not  the  (ireat  Sun  ?     Must  I  not  set  the 
good  exami)le  ?     Wouldst  thou  persuade  thy  son  to  do 
a  base  thing?     Am  1  not  more  bound  to  secrecy  than 
any  body  else,  from  one  peculiar  circumstance  ?     Is  it 
not  darkly  rumored"  (looking  fixedly  at  his  mother) 
"that  my  father  was  a  Frenchman  ?     And  miglit  I  not 
be  suspected  of  partiality  toward  them,  although  the 
Great  Spirit  knows  that  I  hate  them  worse  than  any 
red  toe  our  nation  ever  had!     But  since  thou   hast 
guessed  all,  what  more  shall  I  say  ?     Thou  knowest  as 
much  iw  I  do.     Therefore,  close  thy  lips." 

"  I  a})])rove  thy  resentment  against  the  opjiressors  of 
our  race,  my  son,"  continued  tl-  princess,  "but  I  trem- 
ble l(!st  the  Natchez  should  not  have  taken  suflicient 
precautions  to  secure  their  revenge,  without  exposing 
our  whole  nation  to  destruction.  We  can  not  succeed 
unless  we  take  the  French  by  suiprise.  Although  their 
chief  has  lost  his  mind,  they  are  wary  and  brave ;  if 


ill: 


DISCOVERS  THE  SECRET  OF  THE  LEAGUE.  415 

they  discover  that  we  meditate  aught  against  them 
they  have  plenty  of  merchandise  to  tempt  all  the  other 
nations  to  rise  against  us.     If  you  were  painting  your 
bodies  in  the  colors  of  war  to  march  against  a  red  na- 
tion, my  sleep  would  not  be  disturl)cd,  and  I  would  not 
have  made  to  thy  feelings  the  appeal  which  luis  dis- 
quieted them  so  much.     But  the  pale  faces  are  a  fearful 
race.     They  know  infinitely  more  than  we  do,  and  they 
have  resources  that  we  dream  not  of.     It  is  not  for  my- 
self that  I  tremble  ;  it  is  for  thee ;  it  is  for  our  nation. 
Old  as  I  am,  what  care  I  how  soon  or  how  I  die « 
What  is  it  to  me  wliether  I  am  killed  by  an  Indian  or 
a  French  warrior?     But  there  is  more  caution  in  wo- 
man than  in  man,  and  I  may  detect  some  flaw  in  the 
net  you  have  spread  around  the  French,  and  give  good 
advice.     For  instance,  one  thing  above  all  strikes  me  at 
hrst  sight.     Granting  you  all  the  success  that  you  may 
anticii)ate,  and  supposing  that  you  destroy  every  French- 
Iran,  woman,  and  child  that  live  in  the  neighborhood 
of  our  villages;  admitting  also  that  you  take  possession 
of  yonder  thundering  fort,  would  not  their  countrymen 
come  from  their  big  village  down  below,  with  innume- 
rable red  allies,  and  overwhelm  us  in  complete  destruc- 
tion ?     What  would  signify  our  short-lived  triumph «" 

Thus  slie  artfully  went  on  until  she  gradually  drew 
from  Inm  the  whole  plot,  and  she  appeared  tranquilized 
when  she  knew  all  the  details  of  the  conspiracy,  which 
she  confessed  to  have  been  conducted  with  the  utmost 
prudence  and  skill,  her  son  having  given  her  the  most 
positive  assuiance  that  all  the  French  in  the  colony 
would  be  desfoyed  at  one  blow  and  on  the  same  day 
all  the  Indian  nations  having  joined  the  league,  with 
the  exception  o'  the  Tunicas  and  the  Oumas,  who  had 
not  been  spoken  to,  because  they  were  known  to  be  too 
friendly  to  the  French.     Therefore  the  destruction  of 


'!     ! 


416 


TREACHERY  OF  THE  PRINOESa 


III    : 
If 


these  two  tribes  bad  Jilao  been  resolved  upon.  "But," 
said  the  old  jjriucess,  "  liovv  can  you  be  sure  that  among 
so  many  distant  nations,  thei-e  will  not  be  some  mistake 
as  to  the  <lay  on  wliich  th(i  blow  is  to  be  struck." 
"Tlier«>  can  hv.  none,"  answei-ed  her  son,  who  then  told 
her  all  about  tlie  bundles  of  sticks,  and  informed  her 
that  the  bundle  rcsei-vcd  by  the  Natchez  was  preserved 
in  the  (Jreat  Temj)le  of  the  ])rincij)al  village. 

Tlie  princess,  whose  name  was   ^'- Bnwi  Piquk^''  or 
Pvich'd  Arm.^  wjis  greatly  alarnunl  at  the  extent  of  the 
danger  which  threatened  her  frieiuls,  tlie  Fi-ench,  but 
she  carefully  concealed  hei"  feelings  from  her  son,  and 
a])peared  to  enter  warmly  into  the  conspiracy.     In  the 
mean  time,  she  thought  of  nothing  else  but  of  putting 
the  French  o?i  their  guard,  wit.iout  exposing  the  safety 
of  hei"  son  and  of  her  nation.     She  acted  under  the  sup- 
position, that  if  the  suspicions  of  the  French  were  once 
aroused,  they  would  assume  an  attitude  aiul  take  pre- 
cautions which  would  check  the  Natchez,  and  prevent 
the   breaking   out    which    they  meditated.     Thus,   by 
words  which  she  let  fall  from  hei-  lips,  as  it  were  care- 
lessly, she   excited  iAxa  fears  of  some    Indian   women 
whom  she  knew  to  be  attached  to  the  French  by  more 
than  one  tender  tie,  and  avIio  comm\micated  their  infor- 
mation to  their  lovers.    The  old  lint-s  J\'qi(6^  or  Pvichd 
Avm^  did  more;  seeing  no  sign  of  pi-ecaution  taken  by 
the  French,  notwithstanding  the  warning  she  had  caused 
to  be  given,  she  one  day  stoi)ped  a  French  soldier  whom 
she  accidentally  met,  and  told  him  to  inform  the  French 
chief  that  the  Natchez  had  lost  their  minds,  and  that 
he  had  b(>tter  be   on   the  look  out,  and   increase  the 
strength  of  his  fort. 

The  soldier  re})eated  this  admonition  to  Cho])art,  who, 
instead  of  inquiring  into  the  causes  of  th;  •  strange  ])iece 
of  information,  which  was  sent  to  him  iu  such  a  vague 


HER  DWORTa  TO  8AVE  THE  PRENca  417 

manner,  but  from  mch  hi^h  antKority,  said  that  the 
princess  was  an  old  hag,  caHed  tlie  sohlier  a  coward  and 
a  visionary,  put  liim  in  the  stocks  to  punish  him  for 
spreading  false  reports,  an<l  declared  that  he  wouhl  cer- 
tainly abstain  from  repairing  the  fortific.itions,  or  from 
doing  any  thing  Avhich  would  give  the  Natchez  to  under- 
etand  he  was  afraid  of  them,  because  the  secret  motive 
ot  all  these  warnings,  as  he  pretended,  wjis  to  frighten 
him  out  of  his  resolution  to  force  them  to  evacuate  the 
village  of  the  White  Apple. 

Indefatigable  in  her  exertions  to  save  the  French 
J  riMArm  penetrated  into  the  temple,  and  clandes- 
tinely withdrew  some  of  the  sticks  from  the  bundle  in 
order  to  destroy  the  concert  which  had  been  a-reed 
upon  among  the  Indian  tribes,  and  to  bring  on  prema- 
turely the  day  on  which  the  attack  was  to  be  made  by 
the  Natchez.     She  hoped  that  some  of  the  French  at 
least,  would  escape,  and  have  time  to  put  on  their  guard 
the  rest  of  the  colony.     She  also  contrived  to  transmit 
indirect  and  anonymous  warnings  to  several  French- 
men, who  communicated  to  Chopart  what  they  had 
learned.     Rut  he  again  branded  them  with  the  epithet 
of   cowards,    and    ])ut    some    of   them  under   arre-st 
1  neked  Arm,  astounded  at  the  result  of  her  repeated 
attempts,  and  forgetting  in  her  extreme  anxiety  the 
resoluti,),!  she  had  taken  not  to  expose  to  danger  by 
too  j)ositive  information,  her  son  and  her  whole  nation 
went  so  far  as  to  address  one  Mace,  a  sub-lieutenant! 
and  to  tell  him  enough  to  remove  all  doubts  from  minds 
not   unalterably  bent  on  resisting  the  i)ersuasion  of 
the  strongest  evidence.     She  presumed  that  Mace  be- 
ing an  officer,  would  have  more  influence  on  the  French 
commander.     But  she  was  deceived,  and  Chopart  re- 
mam.Hl   we,l(l(>d   to   the  same  fatal   incredulity     Be- 
wildered at  the  sight  of  such  infatuation,  the  old  prin- 

DD 


(i!^ 


:\i 


419 


CfPAHTATIOir  OF  CHOPAKP. 


cess  was  struck  with  superstitions  awe,  and  very  natoi* 
rally  canu^  to  the  conchision,  that  the  French  wero 
doomed  l)y  the  (Jreat  S})irit,  and  abandoned  by  the 
very  (Jod  they  worshi])ed.  From  that  moment  she 
became  passive,  and  seemed  to  have  acce^jted  the  de- 
cree of  fate  with  the  stoical  indifference  so  common  to 
Indians. 

Time,  however,  wjis  flying  a])ace ;  and  on  the  very  eve 
of  the  contemplated  attack,  Chopart  took  a  step  which 
seemed  to  be  the  insj)iration  of  some  evil  sj)ii'it  deter- 
mined to  treat  its  victim  to  the  last  with  mischievous 
mockery.  In  order  to  show  in  a  signal  mainuir  his  con- 
teni})t  foi-  the  alarming  re})orts  which  had  been  made  to 
him,  and  his  detei'mination  to  j)ut  a  stop  to  them  for  the 
future,  he  went  with  several  Frenchmen  to  the  Oreat  Vll- 
hge  of  the  Natchez,  and  caroused  with  them  the  whole 
night.  The  Great  Sun,  to  whom  he  communicated  all 
the  intelligence  which,  from  time  to  time,  had  been  laid 
before  him,  concerning  the  alledged  conspiracy,  behaved 
with  great  composiu'c  and  })rofound  dissimulation,  not- 
withstanding his  youth,  and  persuadcnl  the  infatuated 
man  tliat  the  Natchez  were  his  best  friends,  and  that  if 
he  had  enemies,  it  was  among  his  own  countrymen. 
"  In  confirmation  of  my  declaration,"  he  said,  "  my  peo- 
ple will  bring  to  thee  to-morrow  more  than  the  amount 
of  the  tribute  for  Avhich  thou  Inist  grantetl  us  time  for 
our  removal,  and  will  then  put  thee  in  possession  of  the 
White  Apple  Village."  Chopart  returned  to  the  fort, 
late  in  the  night,  drunk  with  j)ride  ami  the  fumes  of 
the  potations  in  which  he  had  freely  indulged.  Feeling 
the  want  of  rest,  he  gave  the  most  j)recise  order  that, 
under  no  pretext  whatever,  he  should  be  waked  up  be- 
fore nine  in  the  nu)rning. 

When  that  morning  came,  which  was  on  the  'J'Jtli  of 
November,  the  eve  of  St.  Andrew's  day,  long  before 


1'  't 


THE  MORN  OF  THE  29TH  NOVEMBER.  418 

the  rising  of  tlie  sun,  there  was  a  great  bustling  in  aU 
the  villages  of  tlie  Natchez.      The    conspirators   had 
taken  tlieir  nie^usures  with  such  foresight  and  precision 
tiiat,  at  the  same  moment,  within  a  radius  of  many 
nides,  the  house  of  every  Frenchman,  however  remote 
It  WiiH,  found  itself  full  of  Indians  asking  for  something 
or  other.     Some  begged  for  powder,  shot,  and  bran<ly 
to  go  on  a  hunting  expcnlition,  promising  to  make  ample 
returns  for  the  loan  demaiuled.     Others  had  a  present 
to  make,  or  an  old-remembered  debt  to  j)ay,  or  some 
bargain  or  other  to  ],ropose.     Motives  or  excuses  of  in- 
hnite  variety  were  not  wanting  to  remove  suspicion. 
At  eight,  the  (xreat  Sun  was  seen  departing  from  his 
village  at  the  head  of  his  nobles  and  of  a  troop  of  war- 
riors.    The  })rocession  moved  with  a  great  noise  of  in- 
strumc'nts,  and  carrie.l,  with  as  much  show  as  possible 
the  stipulated  tribute  of  fowls,  corn,  oil,  and  furs.    The 
master  of  ceremonies,  gorgeously  dressed,  and  makiu- 
limiselt  conspicuous  above  tlie  rest,  twirled  on  high,  and 
Avith  fantastic  gestures,  the  calumet  of  peace      With 
demonstrations  of  joy,  they  went  several  times  round 
the  fort,  aiul  entered  the  house  of  the  French  comman- 
der, who,  waked  up  by  tlie  noise,  made  his  appearance 
in  his  morning  gown.     Ehited  at  the  sight  of  the  valu- 
able presents  whicli  were  laid  before  him,  laughin<.  in 
his  heart  at  the  credulity  of  those  who  had  attempted 
to  rouse  suspicions  in  his  mind  as  to  the  fidelity  of  his 
Indian  friends,  he  ordered  the  f/lve,'^  of  warning,^  as 
he  called  them,  to  be  released  from  their  confliicinent 
that  they  should  come  to  see  how  futile  were  their 
cowardly  fears.     Then,  the  Indians  began  to  dance,  to 
smg,  and  to  creep  into  the  fort  and  everywhere.     In 
the  mean  tim<',  a  chosen  band  of  warriors  glided  down 
the  hill  to  the   bank  of  the  river,  where  the   loiK-ex- 
pected  and  richly-laden  galley,  which  had  arrived"  the 


I 


420 


\fH»  MAS8AOR15  OF  THE  FRENOtt 


day  previous,  was  mooret!.  There,  each  warrior  having* 
leisurely  picked  liis  man  and  made  his  aim  sure,  a  sim* 
nltaneous  discliai-ge  was  heai-d. 

This  was  the  preconcerted  signal,  which  was  followed 
far  and  wide  by  discharges  of  fireai-ms  so  close  on  each 
other,  that  thev  seemed  to  make  hut  one  whole.     Let 
us  listen  to  (         .?  i*  Perier  himself,  relating  that  event 
iu  one  of  his  v*       .^ohes:  "Such  being  the  dispositions 
of  the  Indians,  and  the  hour  having  come,"  says  he, 
"  the  general  assassination  of  the  French  took  so  little 
time,  that  the  execution  of  the  deed  and  the  preceding 
signal  were  almost  but  one  and  the  same  thing.     One 
single  discharge  closed  the  whole  aifair,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  house  of  La  Loire  des  Ursins,  in  which  there 
were  e'-ht  men,  who  defended  themselves  with  des])e- 
ration.     They  made  the  house  good  against  the  Indians 
during  the  whole  day.     Six  of  them  were  killed,  and 
when  night  came,  the  remaining  two  escaped.     When 
the  attack  began,  La  Loire  des  Ursins  happened  to  be 
on  horseback,  and  being  cut  off  from  his  house  by  the 
intervening  foes,  he  fought  to  death,  and  killed  four 
Indicms.     The  people  who  Avere  shut  up  in  his  house 
had  already  killed  eight.     Tlius  it  cost  tlui  Natchez 
only  twelve  men  to  (\e»tvoj  fivo  InnHlrcdaiid fit'tij  oi 
ours,  through  the  fault  of  the  commanding  officer,  who 
alone  deserved  the  fate  which  was  shared  by  his  unfor- 
tunate companions.     It  was   easy  for   him,   with  the 
arms  and  the  forces  he  had,  to  inflict  on  our  enemies  a 
severer  blow  than  the  one  we  have  received,  and  which 
has  brought  this  colony  to  Avithin  two  inches  of  utter 
destruction." 

It  is  said  that  Chopart  had  the  grief  of  surviving  all 
his  countrymen.  Such  was  the  horror  and  contempt 
the  Natchez  had  for  him,  that  death  inflicted  by  the 
hands  of  a  warrior  was  thought  too  honorable  for  the 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  MASSAORR  421 

French  chief.     None  of  tliat  cla^s  condescended  to  lay 
hands  upon  liini,  and  tlie  lowest  among  the  stinUna,  or 
plebeians,  was  sent  for,  who  beat  him  to  death  with  a 
club,  in  his  own  garden,  whither  he  had  fled.     A  fcAT 
frenchmen  escaped,  as  it  were  by  miracle,  from  the 
general   massacre :  among  others,   Navarre,    Couillard 
Canterelle,   Louette,   and   Kicard,   who   succeeded    in 
reaching  New  Orleans,  after  many  perilous  adventures. 
Iwo  men  only  were  spared  by  the  Natchez,  one  wag- 
oner,  named  Mayeux,  to  be  employed  by  them  in  tranl 
porting  all  the  goods,  merchandise,  and  effects  of  the 
French  to  the  public  square,  in  front  of  which  stood 
the  palace  of  the  Great  Sun,  and  where  that  sovereio-n 
was  to  make  a  distribution  of  the  spoils  among  his  sub- 
jects.    The  other  Frenchman,  named  Lebeau,  was  a 
tailor,  and  owed  his  life  to  that  circumstance.     As  the 
Natchez  stood  in  want  of  his  craft,  they  preserved  him 
to  turn  him  to  profitable  account,  and  employed  him  in 
repairing,  or  reshaping  the  clothes  of  the  dead,  and  in 
httmg  them  to  the  bodies  of  the  new  owners.     Dumont 
relates  that  tlie  Natchez  were  particularly  pleased  with 
the  variegated,  .liversified,  and  highly-colored  patches 
which  he  adapted  to  their  vestments. 

The  women  and  children,  with  a  few  exceptions,  were 

spared  and  destined  to  be  slaves,  their  number  amount- 

ing  to  about  three  hundred.     Many  of  the  blacks,  to 

whom  the  Natchez  had  promised  their  freedom  and  a 

share  in  the  booty,  had  been  induced  to  join  them  in 

the  conspiracy.    Some  of  them,  howevex-  had  the  credit 

of  remaining  faithful  to  the  French,  and  succeeded  in 

making  their  way  to  New  Orleans.    The  Natchez  bein^ 

under  the  impression  that  all  the  French  were  destroyed 

throughout  the  land,  that  they  had  no  longer  any  thini? 

to  fear  from  such  redoubtable  foes,  and  finding  thenf- 

selves  more  wealthy  than  they  had  ever  been,  gave 


1  if 


'1;        ,. 

j 

f,' 

REPEATED  ASSASSmXTIONS  OF  THE  fRENCB 


i   f: 


i  * 


HI'  1 1 


tliemselves  np  to  the  wildest  exhibitions  of  joy.  They 
conchided  that  bloody  day  of  the  29th  of  November, 
by  a  general  carousal,  and  they  kept  dancing  and  sing- 
ing until  late  at  night,  around  pyramids  of  Fi-ench 
heads,  piled  up  as  cannon-balls  usually  are  in  an  arse- 
nal. The  agonies  of  the  wretched  women  and  children 
who  witnessed  the  slaughter  of  their  husbands  and  fti- 
thers,  and  who,  amid  the  demoniacal  rejoicings  which 
followed,  had  to  bear  outrages  too  horrific  to  })e  related, 
are  more  easily  conceived  than  described !  Long  before 
the  next  day  dawned  upon  them,  the  Natch(!z  were  in 
such  a  state  of  inebriation,  that  thirty  well-determined 
Frenchmen,  says  Dumout,  could  have  destroyed  the 
whole  nation. 

The  Natchez,  when  they  came  back  to  their  senses, 
stationed  warriore  along  the  Mississippi,  to  watch  for 
all  canoes  and  barks  navigating  on  that  river,  and  a 
few  days  after  the  massacre,  they  descried  some  travel- 
ei-s  coming  down  stream.  The}-  were  French,  and  on 
being  hailed,  not  suspecting  what  had  happened,  they 
came  to  landing.  They  were  five  in  number,  and 
hardly  had  they  touclied  the  bank  of  the  river,  when 
they  were  received  with  a  discharge  of  muskets.  Three 
were  killed,  the  fourth  fled  to  the  Avoods,  whei'e  he 
concealed  himself,  and  he  afterward  had  the  good  luck 
to  reach  the  friendly  village  of  the  Tunicas.  The  fifth 
was  taken  prisoner,  and  carried  to  the  great  village  of 
the  Natchez,  where  he  was  tortured  by  them  in  one  of 
the  public  exhibitions  of  the  kind  of  which  they  were 
so  fond,  with  all  the  refined  ferocity  peculiar  to  the  In- 
dians. 

The  Natchez  set  fire  to  all  the  habitations  of  the 
French,  which  Avere  reduced  to  ashes,  and  after  the 
fii'st  outburst  of  riotous  excesses  in  which  they  indulged, 
to  celebrate  their  triumph,  they  set  to  work  with  inteb 


BY  THE  INDIANS. 


423 


ligeiic(»  and  activity,  to  avail  themselves  to  the  ut- 
most of  the  success  they  had   obtained.     It  app(!ars 
that,  for  some  reasons  unknown,  they  had  not  coninm- 
nicatcd  to  the  Yazoos  the  risini,^  tlujy  meditated  ai^^ainst 
th(!  French.     On  the  very  day  of  tlie  massacre,  a  depu- 
tation of  Yazoos,  who,  jx^-haps,  susj)ected   what   waa 
going  on,  had  arrived  among  the  Natcliez.     They  were 
present   at  the   performance   of  that    ])loody   dn>ma, 
were  easily  persuaded  to  attack  the  few  French  people 
who  liad  settled  on  their  ten-itoiy,  and  they  dei)arted 
with  a  certain  numljer  of  Natchez  warriors.     The  Yazoo 
settlement  wjis  distant  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
from  the  Natchez.     This  united  hand  of  Yazoos  and 
Natcliez  ascended  the  Mississippi  in  boats,  and  on  their 
way  up,  discovered  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  in  a  shady 
spot,  some  travelers  assemlded.     They  proved   to   be 
French,  and  were  coming  down  the  river  with  a  rev- 
erend father  Jesuit.     At  I  he  time  they  were  descried 
by  the  Indians,  these  people  were  engaged  in  the  holy 
occupation  of  listening  to  a  mass  said  by  the  pi-iest. 
With  that  stealthy,  cat-like  step,  8o  familiar  to  their 
race,  the  Indians  aj)proached  without  being  o})served 
and  poured  upon  them  their  fire  at  the  very  moment 
they  were  dropping  on  their  knees,  at  the  elevation  of 
the  host;  and  they  aimed  particularly  at  the  priest 
whose  sacerdotal  habiliments  were   the   objects   most 
coveted  })y  their  cupidity.     Strange  to  say,  the  mur- 
derous volley  of  balls  proved  harmless,  and  the  French 
had  time  to  fly  to  their  boat.     But  the  Indians  had  also 
time  to  reload  their  muskets,  and  they  fired  again  at  the 
fugitives,  Avho,  being  all  clustered  together  in  a  boat, 
presented  a  mark  which  the  most  inexperienced  shoot- 
ers could  hardly  fail  to  hit.     Yet,  the  only  one  among 
the  French  who  was  hurt,  was  the  man  who  was  push- 
ing the  boat  from  the  bank.     He  received  a  ball  in  the 


4 


(V.l 


i    H^ 


ll. 


424 


ST.  DENIS  COMMAt  lER  OF  NATCHITOCIIEa 


d    i 


\l 


thigh,  but  succeeded  in  getting  into  the  })oat,  and  was 
8ul)se(|uently  cured  at  New  Orleans.  The  Frencli  con- 
sidered their  escape  as  provi(h'ntiul,  and  attributed  it 
to  the  ])resence  of  God  among  them  on  the  elevation 
of  the  host,  when  they  were  attacked  by  the  savag-^ 
heathens.  For  many  years  aftei",  the  priesthood  often 
mentioned  this  fact  in  their  preachings. 

The  foi-t  wiiic'h  the  French  had  built  among  the  Ya- 
zoos,  was  called  St.  Claude.  Its  commander,  l)u  Coder, 
being  on  a  visit  to  the  French  at  Natchez,  when  they 
were  l)utchci-ed,  shared  their  fate.  The  Yazoos  had  no 
difficulty  in  taking  by  sui'i)i-ise  the  fort  of  St.  Claude, 
which  had  a  garrison  only  of  twenty  men,  whom  they 
killed,  together  with  the  few  families  who  had  settled 
around,  under  the  pi-otection  of  the  fort.  The  destruc- 
tion of  the  French  settlements  at  the  Yazoos,  took  place 
on  the  first  or  second  day  of  January,  17ao. 

At  that  time,  St.  Denis  was  commander  of  Natchi- 
toches, where  he  had  made  himself  so  popular,  that  he 
led  the  life  of  a  small,  half  barbaric,  half  civilized  poten- 
tate.    For  hundreds  of  miles  round  that  settlement,  the 
Indians  had  submitted  *o  his  sway,  and  had  i-eadily  ac- 
knowledged him  {US  their  great  chief.     He  settled  au- 
thoritatively all  the  disputes  arising  among  the  dirterent 
tribes,  and  ruled  over  them  as  if  he  had  been  born  an 
Indian,  and  been  their  natural   sovereign.      He   had 
really  become  a  i)owerful  chieftain,  and  in  case  of  need, 
with  a  sufficient  allowance  of  time,  might  liave  set  on 
foot  fj'om  five  to  six  thousand  wari'iors.     The  Natchez 
feared  him  more  than  any  thing  else,  and  knowing  his 
daring  and  indomitable  energy,  had  no  doubt  butl;hat, 
on  his  hearing  of  the  slaughter  of  his  countrymen,  he 
would  march  against  their  assassins  at  the  head  of  a 
considerable  number  of  the  formidable  Texan  warriors. 
Resolving,  therefore,  to  anticipate  his  blow,  and  to  fall 


HE  DEFEATS  THE  NATCHEZ  AT  NATCHITOCHES.  425 

upon  him  when  least  expected,  they  sent  one  hundred 
uiid  lifty  warriors  (,n  that  expedition.     When  these  In- 
dians arrived  in  tlie  vieinity  of  the  Fretu-h  fort  at  Nat- 
chitoches, peiveivinic  tluit  they  were  (h'scovered  l.v  the 
spien  of  the  vi,^dUint  St.  Denis,  they  had  recourse  to  this 
strata.treni.     11,ey  sent  a  (hi])utation  with  the  calumet 
ot  peace,  to  infoi-ni  him  that  they  had  heen  so  unfortu- 
nate as  to  have  lately  had  some  difficulties  with  the 
Fre-ich  settled  in  their  neighhoriiood,  that  they  wished 
to  take  him  as  arbitrator  or  umpire,  and  that  they  had 
brou^dit  with  them  a  Frenchwoman,  whom  they  wanted 
to  set  free,  and  to  deliver  to  liim  in  token  of  theii-  ffood 
intentions. 

St.  Denis  answered  them,  that  he  would  accede  to 
then-  proi)osition,  provided  they  brou^rht  to  him  the 
Frenchwoman,   with  an    escoi-t    only  of  ten  warriors 
The  Natchez  refused  to  do  so,  and  insisted  upon  coming 
m  a  body.     St.  Denis  then  sent  tliem  word,  that  he 
saw  plainly  from  tlunr  large  number,  and  from  their  re- 
fusal to  comi)ly  with  his  demand,  that  they  were  trait- 
ors, and  liars  bent   upon  mischief;    that  he  was  dis- 
posed, however,  to  allow  them  to  return  quietly  to  their 
villages,  i)rovi(led  they  suri'endered  to  him  the  French- 
woman, for  whom  he  would  pay  a  ransom.     Enraged 
at  the  answer  of  St.  Denis,  and  at  the  bad  result  of 
their  expedition,  the  Natchez  burnt  the  Frenchwoman 
m  sight  of  the  French    fort,  and  hastily  intrenched 
themselves,  so  as  to  be  protected  against  any  attack 
from  St.  Denis,  during  the  ai)pimching  night. 

St.  Denis  had  at  his  disposal  only  forty  soldiers,  and 
twenty  settlers.  But  he  was  not  the  man  to  hesitate 
on  any  emergency  of  this  kind:— and  a  little  before 
daybreak,  leaving  twenty  soldiers  in  the  fort,  he 
marched  against  Jie  camp  of  the  Natchez,  at  the  head 
of  forty  Frenchmen,  and  forty  select  Natchitoches  war- 


1 


I!  I 

1)  i 


426      ARRIVAL  OP  RIOARI)  AND  OTHERS  AT  NKW  ORLEANS. 

rioiu  lie  fell  upon  tluiin  so  uTU'xpwtcdly,  and  with 
siu'li  tiny,  tluit,  in  im  instant,  lie  routed  tlu-in  com- 
pletely, and  killed  sixty,  without  havintc  lost  one  «  fhis 
men.  Of  the  Natehez  who  tied,  a  ,i,'ood  many  died  of 
tln'ir  wounds;  only  a  few  reaehed  their  native  hills,  and 
were  the  hearers  of  a  Juelam-holy  tale. 

Kieai'd    was    the    tii-st    fui^itive  from    Natchez,   who 
broui^ht  to  New  Orleans  the  information  of  tln^  destruc- 
tion of  that  important  Fnmch  settlement.     He  looked 
m  lui_i.'i,'ard  and  so  Ix'wildered,  that  he  wjus  thouj,dit  to 
l)e  deranged  in  mind,  aiul  nobody  would  helieve  his 
statements,     liut  C'ouillard  and  a  i'vw  others  reached 
New  Orleans  soon  aftci-,  on  the  :k\  of  December,  and 
left  no  room  for  doubt.     (Jovernor  IVrier  then  knew 
all  the  extent  of  the  dangei-  he  had  run,  when  he  had 
prudently  refused  to  n-ceive  the  visit  of  the  C'hoctaws, 
who,  to  the  number  of  six  hundred  warriors,  had  ar- 
rived at  the  mouth  of  the   Chefuncte  River,  on  Lake 
Pontchartrain,  on  the  1st  of  December,  and  had  sent  a 
dei)utation  to  IVrier,  to  ask  leave  to  come  and  ])resent 
him  with  the   calumet    of    j)(>ace.      Governor    Poi'ier 
thought  that,  whatever  advaniages  might  be  derived 
from  this  visit,  if  really  friendly,  would  l)e  more  than 
counterl)alanced  by  the  dangei"  of  admitting  so  many 
Indians  in  the  capital,  and  he  sent  them  word,  that  he 
would  receive  their  chief,  with  thirty   warriors  only. 
Seeing  that  they  were  suspected,  they  i-eturned  to  their 
villages,  and  contented  themselves,  on  their  way  home, 
with  killing  and  stealing  some  cattle  which  belonged 
to    the    Pascagoula   settlement.      Which   circumstance 
shows  clearly  the  evil  intentions  with  whicli  they  were 
animated. 

A  short  time  after,  tlie  Choctaws  sent  a  deputation 
to  the  Natchez,  to  smoke  with  them  the  calumet  of 
peace,  and  to  renew  their  treaty  of  alliance.     But  not 


THE  OHOCTAWS  QUARRKL  WITH  THE  NATOHEy.         427 

receivirin:  as  valiDil.h.  pivspiits  as  ihoy  vxpvcU'i]  from 
the    rid,  spoils   of  the    Fvnu\    t\wy    npUnii.le.l    thn 
Nntvhv'A  with  their  incunncss  ;in.l  jH^rfLly,  rcprouchin- 
them  with  hiiviiii,'  hastened  prematurely  the  ihiy  of  the 
attiu'k  upon  the  French,  .'ind  with  Inivinir,  i„  this  man- 
ner, robbed  the  other  Indian  nations  of  their  chance  of 
plundering  their  common   <'nemy.     Tliey  said  that  it 
was   owing   to   the;    indis.treet    haste  of  the   Natchez 
prompted    by  their   uncontrollable   avidity,  that    the 
Choctaw  expedition  against   New  Orl(;ans  jiad   failed, 
the   French    having,  no  do.d.t,  received  at  that  time 
aonie  infoi-mation  of  what  had  happened  at  Natcliez. 
The    Choctaw    depu^ution    at   last   departiMJ  in    gi-eat 
anger,  after  having  t<.ld  tlie  Natcliez  tluit  tliey  were  no 
better  than  dogs,  an.l  that  they  would  be  treated  as 
such.     Not  long  after,  there   came   another  Choctaw 
deputation,  who  were  not  better  pleased  with  their  re- 
ception than  tlie  first.     Having  been  informed  tliat  the 
Natchez,  were  deliberating  on  the  expediency  of  killing 
all  their  French  i)risoners,  women   and  cliildren,  who 
they  thought,  proved  to  be  rather  an  expensive  encum- 
brance, the  Choctaws  went  in  ceremony  to  tin;  public 
square,  struck  at  tin.  warriors'  r.-d    post,  which  stood 
there  according  to  imuKMnorial  custom,  and  told  the 
Natchez  thnttlK'  French  uc re  the  allii^s  of  the  Choctaws 
who  would  niar(;h  with  all  the  forces  (,f  their  numerous 
nation  against  the  Natchez,  if  they  dared  to  make  away 
with  a  single  one  of  theii-  ])risoners.     This  energetic 
demonstration  produced  great  effetit  uj)on  the  Natchez, 
and  ])robably  saved  the  lives  of  th<;   French  captives! 
After  having  uttered  these  solemn  threats,  the  Choctaw 
arabassadoi-s  departed,  leaving  tlie  Natchez  in  a  violent 
state  of  anxiety,  which  induced  them  to  meet  frequent- 
ly in  council,  without  ])eing  a])le  to  come  to  any  con- 


■1 ' 
)  ( 


1 


428  PltKCAUTIONS  TAKEN  BY  GOVERNOR  PEllIER. 

elusion,  as  to   wliiit  tlicy  would   ultiinatoly  do  in  an 
enuTocncy  wliicli  looked  so  critical. 

(Jovornor  IVricr,  on  the  wry  day  that  lie  \ms  in- 
formed of  the  Natchez  massacre,  sent  an  oilicer  with  a 
detachment  of  men  u])  the  river  in  a  l)oat,  to  put  the 
phmters  on   hoth  sides  of  the  i-iver  on   their  ^navd, 
and  to  ordiM-  them   to  construct  i-edoubts  at  cei-tain 
distances    trom    each    othei-,    wlu'reiu   to    take   i-efu^^e 
in  case  of  need,  with  tlusir  families,  their  j-oods,  and 
their  cattle.      This   order  was    complied    with  'in   a 
short  time,  and  the  whole  comf,  as  it  is  called,  fi-ora 
New  Orleans  to  Natchez,  in  those  parts  where  it  was 
settled,  wtks  put  in  a  static  of  defense.     The  same  officer 
was  insti-ucted  to  look  closely  into  what  was  <^oiug  on 
anion^v  the  snudl  nations  on  the  banks  of  the  river,'^and 
to  make  sure  of  their  ii(h.'lity.     A  coui'ier  was  sent  to 
two  ('hoctaw  chit>fs,  who  were  shootiui^  ducks  on  Lake 
Pontchartrain  ;  and  they  were  informed  that  (Jovernor 
Pc^rier  wished  to  have  a  talk  with  them.     'V\u^  Chot-taw 
nanon  wjus  by  far  the  most  j)owerful  of  all  the  Indian 
trilu's,  and  ^^wiit  and  well-founded  doubts  existed  jus  to 
their  intended  course  of  action  hi  this  dangerous  crisis. 
It  had  become  extremely  important  to  secure  their  ser- 
vices, and  in  this  way,  to  remove  the  exaggerated  ap- 
prehensions of  the  colonists.     The  terror' which  pre- 
vailed was  so  intense,  that  (governor  Perier,  in  one  of 
his  dispatches,  said : 

"  I  am  exti-emely  sorry  to  see,  from  the  manifestation 
of  such  universal  alarm,  that  there  is  less  of  French 
ct)urage  in  Louisiana  than  anywhere  else.  Fear  had  as- 
sumed such  uncontrollable  (k)niiiiation  over  all,  that  the 
very  insignificant  nation  of  the  Chouacluis,  a  little  above 
New  Orleans,  which  was  composed  of  thirty  wan-ioi-s, 
became  a  sul)ject  of  terror  to  all  our  people.  This  in- 
duced me  to  have  them  destroyed  by  our  negroes,  who 


ALARMING  STATE  OF  THE  OOLONT.  429 

executed  this   mission  with   as  much  promptit,Kle  as 
secrecy      J  his  example,  given  by  our  ne-n-oes,  kept  in 
check  all  the  small   nationn  hiirluM-  up  the  river      If  I 
had  ])eeu  Tucliued  to  avail  myself  of  th<>  good  disposi- 
tions  of  our  n.-groes,  f  could  have  destroyed  by  them 
all   those  nations   which  are  of  no  service  to  us    and 
which,  on  the  contrary,  may  stinudate  our  blacks  to  re- 
vo  t,  as  the  Natclu^z  have  done.     But  certain  i>ru(len- 
tial  considerations  prevented  me,  and  in  the  situation  in 
which  I  was,  I  felt  that  it  was  safe  to  trust  none  but 
the  few  trench  I  had  at  hand.     I  therefore  calh-d  a 
general  meeting  of  them,  and  i)rovided  them  with  arms 
1  have  raised  one   hundred    and    fifty   men    in    New 
Orleans,  and  divided  them  into  four  companies,  each 
commanded  by  a  member  of  the  council.     1  have  chosen 
the  lieutenants  among  trusty  persons  employed  by  the 
government.     At  the  head  of  the  companies  which  I 
have  formed  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  I  have  put  the 
most  mfluential  plant..rs,  and  I  have  ordered  that  acer- 
tain  num])er  of  negroes  be  sent  to  make  intreiichments 
around  the  city  of  New  Orleans."     It  is  pro]>able  that 
one  of  the  reasons  which  promj)ted  Perier  to  have  the 
throats  of  the   (l.oua.'has  cut  by  tin,  negroes,  was  to 
produce  a  state  of  hostility  between  the  red  and  black 
races,  of  which  the  whites  were  equally  distrustful      It 
was  an  act  of  policy,  cruel,  it  is  true,  but  not  without 
its  logic. 

On  th<^  r.th  of  January,  1730,  Governor  P(5rier  sent 
a  vessel  to  France  to  inform  the  government  of  the  pre- 
carious situation  of  the  colony,  and  to  ask  for  the  assist- 
ance which  was  so  much  required.  lie  had  also  dis- 
patched  a  detachment  of  soldiers  and  planters  under 
the  engineer  Broutin,  to  join  Loubois,  who  commanded 
atiointCoui)ee,  and  these  officers  were  requested  to 


iil|. 


try,  by  a  bold  and  sudden  stroke,  to 


carry  off  the 


430        THE  CHOOTAWS  MARCH  AGAINST  THE  NATCHEZ. 

French  women  and  cliiklivn,  the  ne^rroea  and  all  the 
"anoc'H  the  Natehez  liad  in  their  ])()SHession.  Captain 
de  Ljumsuh  WIU3  sent,  by  the  way  of  Mol)ile,  to  the  C^lioc- 
taws,  to  ikseertain  whether  or  not  that  nation  was  dis- 
posed to  siihi  with  tlu^  French. 

FA-evy  day  therc^  came  to  Kc.w  Orleans  tlu^  alarmnig 
report  of  somti  traveler  heing  nnirdered  on  his  way- 
down  the  Mississij)pt.  t)u  the  Sth  of  Januaiy,  Father 
Donti-elean,  a  .Jesuit,  who,  havin,i,^  been  attacked  at  the 
month  of  Yazoo  Kiver,  had  received  two  wounds  in  the 
arm  and  lost  three  men,  reached  New  Orleans.  To 
l)rev(Mit  the  reourreiioo  of  such  events  was  extremely 
desirable;  and  on  the  ir)th-  Governor  Perier  di*. 
patched  a  bark  with  twenty  white  men  and  six  lieirroea, 
to  carry  animunitiou  to  the  Illinois  setth^meiit,  and  to 
pick  up  on  the  way,  protect  jind  escort  to  New  Orleana, 
all  the  French  travi-lci's  they  mi^dit  meet. 

On  the  1  ()th,  the  ,^•overnor  received  a  piece  of  IntelU. 
gence  which  removetl  ji  h)ad  of  anxieties  from  his  r.ilnd. 
It  was,  that  the  Choctaws,  to  the  number  of  seven  hun- 
dreil  warriors,  <'onnnanded  by  a  French  ollicer  named 
Le  Sueur,  had  marched  against  the  Natchez,  and  that 
one  hundred  and  fifty  waniors  of  that  nation  had  set 
otf  to  throw  themselves  between  the  Natchez  and  tho 
Yazoos,  to  prevent  the  fornu-r  from  sending  away  to 
the  latter  any  portion  of  the  French  prisoners,  or  of 
the  iiegi-oes,  a^  it  was  reported  they  would  do,  il"  they 
were  attacked 

The  rendezvous-general  of  the  French  who  were  to 
ojKM'ati*  agahist  tlu'  Natchez  was  at  the  Tunicas,  and 
that  exixnlitiou  was  put  under  the  command  t)f  Loubois. 
AVhih!  the  French  were  still  gathering  at  that  spot,  it 
Wiis  deemed  expedient  to  send  live  nu^n  to  discover 
what  was  going  on  among  the  Natchez.  They  ascended 
the  :MissLssippi  iu  a  bout,  uud  laudcdj  says  Lu  i'ugo  dii 


THE  FRENCH  SCOUTS  CAPTURED.  431 

Pratz,  at  nine  miles  fi-oin  tlio  Great  Village  of  the  Nat- 
chez, at  the  mouth  of  a  small  .stream,  on  whieh  that 
vilhii^e  was  situated,  and  which  discharged  itself  into 
the  Mississippi,  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  from  which  a  canoe 
might  he  s])ied  six  miles  off     The  Fr(aich  scouts  were 
not  seen,  however,  and  they  felt  so  secure,  that  after 
their  having  landed,  night  coming  on,  they  went  cpiietly 
to  sleej),  jis  if  they  were  not  in  the  /ery  lap  of  ,hmger 
The  ni^xt  morning,  they  breakfasted  men-ily,  and  drank 
so  much  brandy,  that  their  courage  worked  itself  up  to 
the    highest   i>itch  of   boldness.     Thus,    tlu^y    walked 
straight  toward  the  (Jreat  Village  of  the  Natchez,  with- 
out making  any  attempt  at  c(Micealinent,  and  tlusy  w(>re 
Within  two  miK>s  of  it,  when,  on  a  sudden,  yelling  In- 
dians started  up  around  them  in  every  direction.   'The 
French,  instead  of  crying  out   that  th(>y  came   with 
peaceful  intentions,  and  of  trying  to  i)ersuade  as  much 
to  their  ruthless  foes,  presumed  to  defend  themselves 
against  such  overwhelming  odds;  and  one  of  them  by 
the  name  of  Navarre,  who  had  l)een  <Mie  of  the  few  that 
iiad  esca])ed  from  tlu!  great  massacre  on  the  L>!)th  of 
>Joveniber,  was  the  first  to  fire.     The  Indians,  however, 
ai)i)eare(l  disposed  to  keep  altogether  on  the  defensive' 
and  summoned  the  French  to  surrender.    But  these  mad- 
men, throwing  themselves  into  a  ravine  which  presented 
the  a])pearance  of  a  natural   intrenchnient,  continued 
tlieir  Hre,  which  was  at  last  returned  by  the  Indians. 
Navarre  was  wounded,  and  became  more  furious:  speak- 
ing i]ie  language  of  the  Natchez,  he  taunted  them  with 
every  sort  of  oj)probrious  epithet,  and  went  on  fiLditiu<>- 
until  he  was  killed. 

Tlu!  four  other  Frenchmen,  who  seemed  to  have  been 
eutiiH^ly  niKler  the  influence  of  Navarre,  and  who  had 
been  fighting  also  with  great  courage,  surrendered  as 
soon  jw  lie  was  dead.     They  were  conducted  to  the 


I 

i 


H 


i/kiL 

^^ 

HIS'' 

I 


! 


t  : 


432 


NEOOTFATIONS  FOR  PEACK. 


Gn^iit  SuTi,  and  MoMj)liiis,  or  Mcsplct,  nn  officer  ot  nol)le 
birtli,  of  the  ])i-ovi)K'('  of  Hoani,  in  Franco,  who  oui^'ht 
to  havt>  known  how  to  control  the  iin])rn(lt'nt  t(!nn!rity 
of  such  a  man  as  Navarre,  a,  \wn\  sohh'or,  destitute  of 
education,  Avas  interroi,nit('(l  by  the  Indian  ]nMnce.     On 
his  ht'inij;  asked   what  the  ol)ject  of  his  visit  was,  Mes- 
I)]ais  answered  that  lie  had  been  sent  !»y  liis  chief  as  the 
bearer  of  })rojK>sitions  of  pt^ace.     "  Hut,"  o])served  the 
Great  Sun,  "  Jiow  earnest  thou  to  iire  at  those  who  merely 
said  to  thee  to  surrender  ?     One  of  thy  com])aniona  m 
killed  and  thou  art  wounded,  throuii^h  his  and  thy  own 
fault.     Is  this  the  conduct  of  jjeace-bearers  ?"     Mesjdais 
answered  tliat  Navai-rti  had  taken  too  nmch  of  the  fire- 
h'(/i(0/\  and   beijijjed  the  (treat  Sun  to  remember  that, 
on  the  death  of  tliis    man,  lie,  Mes])lais,  had  ordei-t^d 
hi8  com])anions  to   lay  down   their  arms.     The  (Jreat 
Svm  aj)i)eared  to  be  satisfied  with  this  explanation,  and 
ordered  them  to  be  released,  lutto  be  closely  watched. 
He  tlu>n  sent  for  one  of  the  female  })risoners,  a  Avoman 
by  the  naine  of  Desnoyers,  and  said  to  her :  "  Write  to 
thy  great  war-ehief,  that  if  he  wishes  for  jx^ace,  and  de- 
sires that  all  the  French  ])risoners  and  the  nejjroes  be 
restored  to  liim,  he  must  send  me  foi'  every  one  of  them 
so  many  casks  of  brandy,  so  many  blankets,  nmskcits, 
shirts,  provisions,  itc"    .  ,  ,  .  .      He  wanted  so  many 
diiferent  thinp^s,  and  in  such  (luantity,  that  it  would 
have  been  impossible  to  find  in  the  Avhole  colony  what 
he  had  the  ])resumption  to  ask,  even  if  it  had  been 
thought  to  be  an  act  of  expediency  and  of  good  policy 
to  yield  so  much  to  these  barbarians, 

Desnoyers  Avrote  down  what  she  was  tt)ld,  and  availed 
herself  of  this  opi)ortunity  to  inform  Loubois  of  the 
Biiserable  condition  in  which  the  French  captives  were, 
and  of  the  dangers  which  threatened  them.  She  did 
not  fail  to  communicate  all  she  knew  about  the  prepara* 


EXECUTION  OF  THE  SOOUTa 


433 


' 


tions  the  Natchez  hud  made  for  defense,  and  to  impart 
every  otlier  i)i(,ce  of  intelligi,nce  she  thought  mkdit  be 
useful  to  the  French. 

The  iiiv,at  Sun  delivered  tlie  letter  to  one  of  Mes- 
plais'  companions,  and  ordered  liim  to  carry  it  to  tlie 
French  chief  at  the  Tunicas,  and  to  inform  him  that  if 
a  favorable  answer  was  not  sent  back  in  three  days  the 
hostages,  whom  the  Natchez  had  in  their  possession, 
would  abide  the  consecpiences  of  their  anirer  and  dis' 
appomt.nent.      Eagerly  did  the  French  emissary  ciepart 
on  his  mission,  and  "even  without  looking  back,"  says 
Le  Page  du  Pratz.     So  active  did  he  jirove  himself 
that  he  arrived  on  that  same  day  at  the  Tunicas,  and 
handed  the  letter  to  Loubois,  who  vouchsafed  no  answer. 
While  th(.  Natchez  remained  in  the  expectation  of 
an  answer,  they  treated  their  i)risoners  kindly,  but  on 
the  fourth  day  after  the  d(q)arture  of  the  French  emis- 
sary,  the  (Jreat  Sun,  liaving  given  up  all  hopes  of  his 
niturn,  fhnv  into  a  violent  passion,  and  sentenced  to 
death  the  three  other  Frenchmen.     Two  of  tlu,m  one 
a  common  soldier,  and  the  other  an  oflieer  of  education 
and  birth,  l)y  the  name  of  St.  Amand,  were  killed  iu- 
stantly,  without  being  exposed  to  much  suiferin.'-      Un- 
fortunately  for  Mesplais,  he  had  made  himself  conspicu- 
ous  1,1  some  of  the  preanling  wars  of  the  French  against 
tlu'  Aatchez,  and  he  had  been  for  the  Indians  an  object 
of  particular  notice,  on  account  of  the  long  flowin^r  ],.ur 
which  curled  down  on  his  shoulders,  mi(i  which  "made 
It  a  very  de.nm/>k  mdp.     They  concentrated,  therefore, 
the  fury  of  their  revenge  on  such  a  widl-known  warrior 
and  swore  they  would  make  him  weep  like  a  woman! 
He  was  tied  to  the  celebrated  Indian  stake,  ex.piisitely 
tortured  during  three  days  and  three  nights,  and  died 
at  last,  after  having  exhil.ited  superhuman  fortitude 
and  without  having  gratified  his  torturers  by  uttering 


434 


PEARS  OP  THE  NATCHEZ. 


one  word  of  complaint.  All  the  Frenchwomen,  pris- 
oners among  the  Natchez,  were  present,  and  kneeling 
round  the  miserable  victim  of  savage  ferocity,  addressed 
loud  prayers  to  heaven  during  all  the  time  that  the 
lingering  execution  lasted.  The  sufferer  never  shed  a 
tear,  nor  allowed  one  groan  to  escape  his  lips,  but,  oc- 
casionally, would  beg  the  Frenchwomen  for  water. 
That  was  a  boon,  however,  which  they  were  prevented 
from  giving.  It  was  a  horrific  spectacle,  and  a  minute 
description  of  it  would  convey  to  us  but  a  faint  idea  of 
the  hideous  reality,  and  of  the  appalling  dangers  to 
which  our  ancestors  were  exposed,  when  toiling  so  pain- 
fully to  prepare  for  us  the  peaceful  and  glorious  home 
which  we  now  enjoy. 

The  Avoyelles,  Tunicas,  and  other  small  nations,  had 
declared  themselves  against  the  Natchez,  and  were  har- 
assing them  by  partial  attacks  and  marauding  expedi- 
tions. Not  unmindful  of  the  threats  which  the  Choc- 
taw delegation  had  made  against  them,  the  Natchez, 
coming  gradually  to  a  more  correct  appreciation  of 
their  situation,  began  to  feel  a  real  desire  to  accept,  or 
to  offer  reasonable  terms  of  peace.  Thus,  one  night, 
when  they  had  met  in  deliberation,  they  sent  for  a 
Frenchwoman  who  spoke  their  language  well,  and  they 
interrogated  her  on  the  practicability  of  a  peace  with 
her  nation.  "  Are  not  the  French  of  a  forgiving  na- 
ture," said  the  Great  Sun  to  her,  "  and  do  they  not 
often  embrace  their  enemies  and  eat  with  them,  after 
having  met  them  in  battle  ?"  The  Frenchwoman,  who 
was  greatly  frightened,  answered  that  her  countrymen 
were  as  mild  as  lambs,  although  rather  of  a  pugnacious 
temperament;  that  they  would  frequently  feast  with 
their  enemies  before  fighting,  and  feast  again  with  them 
after  fighting;  that  they  were  very  fond  of  such  alter- 
nate feastings  and  fightings,  and  were  of  all  people  the 


THEY  ARE  ATTAOKED  BY  THE  CHOOTAWS.      435 

most  easily  pacified.  She  was  skillful  enougt  thus  to 
harp  on  the  right  cord,  and  tlie  Indians,  well  ple.'«ed 
with  her  answei-s,  dismissed  her  with  courtesy  from 
their  j)resence. 

In  spite,  or  perhaps  on  account  of  their  fears,  and  to 
lose  siglit  of  their  anxieties,  the  Natchez  had  been  ca. 
rousing,  almost  every  day,  since  the  destruction  of  the 
J^rench  settlement.     The  temptation  was  too  strong  for 
theni  to  resist,  when  they  had  in  their  possession  so 
muca  lupior,  and  so  many  provisions  taken  from  the 
French  wareliouses.     On  the  27th  of  January,  they 
were  feasting  on  the  hanks  of  St.  Catherine's  creek, 
when  tliey  were  suddenly  attacked  hy  the  Choctaws 
headed  l.y  Le  Sueur,     Their  defeat  would  have  been 
complete,  ,t  those  negroes  who  had  joined  the  Natchez 
111  the  nutssacre  of  the  French,  had  not  fought  with  des- 
perate    valor,  and,  })y  their  fierce  resistance,  had  not 
given  time  to  their  Indian  allies  to  retire  within  the  two 
torts  they  had  ])repared,  in  anticipation  of  the  expected 
war  which  they  knew  would  soon  burst  upon  them. 
±5ut  the  Choctaws  killed  sixty  of  the  Natchez,  took 
from    fifteen    to    twenty   prisoners,    rescued    fifty-four 
French  wcmien  and  children,  and  recovered  about  one 
nundred  ot  the  negroes. 

On  the  8th  of  Fe})ruary,  half  of  the  French  forces 
arrived  at  Natchez,  and  joined  the  Choctaws  on  St 
Catherines  creek.  On  the  9th,  they  left  the  quarter' 
ot  the  Choctaws,  and  encamped  at  a  certain  distance 
nearer  the  Mississippi.  The  rest  of  the  army  came  up  on 
that  day,  which  was  spent  in  reconnoiteriiig  and  skir- 
mishing with  the  Indians.  The  loth,  11th,  and  12th 
were  employed  in  carrying  the  artillery,  ammunition. 
an(  provisions  from  the  boats  to  the  French  camp  The 
13th  was  consumed  in  fruitless  parleying  with  the  In- 
dians,  m  approaching  nearer  to  the  forts,  and  in  trana- 


Slii 


M 


L'^ 


436 


THE  NATCHEZ  BESIEGED  BY  THE 


porting  pieces  of  artillery  on  the  mound  on  whicli  stood 
the  (irreat  Temple,  and  which  happened  to  command 
the  two  forts.  The  French  protected  that  position 
with  intrenchments. 

On  the  14th,  at  daybreak,  the  French  opened  against 
the  forts  their  fire,  which  wjis  answered  briskly.  The 
four  pieces  of  artillery  which  the  French  had,  were 
hardly  fit  for  service,  and  were  wretchedly  managed. 
The  Natchez  had  three  ])ioces,  which  were  still  more 
clumsily  handled.  At  night,  the  Natchez  came  through 
a  cane-brake  to  dislodge  the  French  from  the  temple. 
But  some  grape  thrown  among  them  forced  them  to 
retreat. 

On  the  mth,  the  French,  at  the  distance  of  five  hun- 
dred and  sixty  yards,  cannonaded  the  forts  during  six 
lioui-8,  without  throwing  down  one  single  stake,  and  the 
Cboctaws,  to  whom  they  had  promised  to  make  a  ])reach 
in  less  than  two  hours,  became  discouraged,  and  hooted 
at  the  impotency  of  the  French  missiles. 

On  the  16th,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Du  Pare,  was 
sent  with  a  flag  to  summon  the  forts  to  surrender.  He 
was  received  with  a  general  discharge  of  musketry, 
which  made  him  scamper  away  in  such  haste  that  he 
left  behind  him  his  flag.  It  would  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians,  had  not  a  soldier,  known  under 
the  nickname  of  the  J^vl-mm,  run  to  the  spot  and  car- 
ried away  the  flag  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy. 
He  was  immediately  made  a  sergeant  as  a  reward  for 
his  valor.  At  the  very  moment  when  the  Parimari 
waa  rushing  to  rescue  the  Hag,  the  Indians  had  opened 
their  gates  to  make  a  sally  to  take  it.  Some  French- 
women availed  themselves  of  that  circumstance  to  rush 
out  pellmell  Avith  the  Iiulians,  and  succeeded  in  gain- 
ing the  French  camp.  But  the  Indians  avenged  th(;ra- 
selves  for  their  escape  in  the  most  atrocious  manner. 


FRENCH  AND  CHOOTAWa 


437 


pie  poor  women  had  left  children  in  tl.e  fort,  lionin^ 
that  they  would  be  taken  care  of  by  their  companion, 
in  capt.vity.     Ihe  Indian,  seized  tliese   chihlrin,  and 
nnpaled  them  on  the  .stakes  of  the  fort,  to  the  o-reai 
horror  «n  J  ra.^^e  of  the  Frenc-h.     On  that  day,  an  addi- 
tionalbodyot  men  arrived  at  the  French  camp,  with 
our  ,.,eces  of  artillery  quite  as  worthless  as  those  the 
b^iegers  had  alrea.ly.     Despairin.^.  to  make  with  sncli 
artillery  any  impressio.t  on  tlie  forts,  the  French  re- 
solved  to  have  recourse  to  minin-  and  went  to  work 
accordmsly.     Some,  more  impatient  and  more  intrepid 
than  the  rest,  offered  to  rusl,  close  to  the  walls  and  to 
fln.i,^  grenades  into  the  forts,  but  Loubols  refused,  under 
the  appr<.hension  of  doing  a.s  much  injury  to  the  Fi-nch 
cai)tives  as  to  the  Indians.  ^ 

From  the  17th  to  the  22d  of  February,  the  Frencli 
made  scientific  prepai-ations  to  attack  the  forts    and 
were  engaged  in  erecting  ga},ions  and  in  underminino.. 
On  the  L>2d,  during  the  night,  one  hundred  Natche'z 
attacked  the  1,-ench  works  in  front,  and  two  lumdred 
111  tl.e  rear  under  the  protection  of  a  wild  cane-field 
through    winch   they   luid   approached.     They  broke 
through  the  mant^dets,  ])enetrated  into  the  last  trench 
or  traverse,  and  assailed  with  fury  the  temple  and  the 
*  rench  battery.     They  fought  xvith  desperation  during 
three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  retired  with  considerable 
loss,  but  carrying  away  a  good  many  blankets,  spades 
and  other  articles     The  Choctaws  came  to  the  assist^ 
ance  of  the  trench  with  great  readiness. 

On  the  28d,  the  Choctaws  threw  the  French  into 
consternation  oy  threatening  to  withdraxv,  if  the  sie^e 
was  not  carried  on  with  more  vigor.  This  representa- 
tion  had  Its  effect,  and  on  the  24th,  a  battery  of  four 
pieces  of  the  caliber  of  four  pounds  was  established  at 
three  hundred  and  sixty  yards  from  the  forts,  and  the 


H 


ll 


436 


OPERATIONS  OF  THE  SIEQK 


French  informed  the  Natcliez  tliat  they  wore  detef- 
tiiin<Ml  to  blow  tliem  up  at  al;  liazards  to  th(!  French 
captives,  it'  they  (Hd  not  surrender.  Intinudated  hy  the 
more  active  ])reparationH  made  by  the  Freiicli,  tho 
Natchez  went  <m((  of  tiieir  fi>nude  caj)tives,  Abulame 
Desnoyers,  of  wliom  it  has  ah-eady  been  spoken,  to 
make  propositions  of  ])eace.  Hut  sl»e  renuiined  in  tlie 
French  cam]),  aiul  no  answer  wjw  returned  to  thd 
Katclu^/. 

On  thc^  L>r)tli,  the  Natchez  lioisted  a  flaj,'  as  a  token 
llmt  they  wished  to  parky.     Alibamon  Umiro^  one  of 
the  most  famous  Choctaw  chiefs,  r^rowing  impatient  at 
all  these  ])arU'yiiio^s  which   never  had  any  result,  ap- 
proached one  of  the  forts,  and  addi-(^ssed  this  harangue 
to  the  Natchez :  "Did   you  ever  hear  that  such  a  nu- 
merous band  of  Indians  as  ours  ever  renuiined  toi»'ether 
two  months  encamped   before  forts?     From  this  cif- 
Cumstance  so  foreign  to  our  customs  and  habits,  you 
'"'^y  j"*li?e  of  our  zeal  aiul  attachment  for  the  French. 
It  is  theretV)i-e  ]H'rfectly  useless  in  you,  who  are  but  a 
handful  of  people,   when   comj)ared   to  oui"  nation,  tO 
persist  in  refusing  to  give  up  to  the  French  their  wo- 
men, children,  and  negroes.    So  far,  tins  French  have 
treated  you  with  more  leniency  than  you  deserve,  con- 
sidering the  (piantity  of  their  blood  which  you  havo 
sluni.      As   to  us,    Choctaws,    we   are   determined   to 
blockade  you  until  you  die  of  hunger."     This  speech 
had  its  effect,  and  the  Natchez  i)romised  to  deliver  to 
the  Choctaws  all  the  captives,  provided   the  French 
would  remove  away  to  the  bank  of  the  river  with  their 
artillery.     This  was  done  on  the  iiOtli,  and  thus  termi- 
nated the  siege.     The  French,  whose  numbers,  as  far 
as  we  can  judge  from  conflicting  statements,  amounted 
to  five  hundred,  lost  fifteen  men  during  that  siege. 
The  cowardly  and  notorious  Ecte-Actal  acted  an  u©. 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  8IE0EL 


439 


^otiator  lyetwenn  the  French  and  the  '/n<li'iins,  and  it 
tad  hvov.  iii^uH'.d  tlirouijh  him  tliat  the  Krerioh  forcea 
Would,  as  I  have  ah-eady  said,  withdraw  to  the  hank  of 
th(?  river,  and  tliat  tlie  Natehez,  on  Murren(h>rin<,'  to 
iiu  (JhoctawH  th(!  French  captiven  nnd  Hpoils,  would 
junain  in  quiet  possession  of  their  Jaiids  jmd  f<>,ti4. 
This  treaty  was  nothing  hut  the  enihodiment  of  mutual 
deceit    The  French  commander,  thinking  himself  ab- 
Solvt^d  fivmi  adherence  to  his  word  hy  the  proverf)ial 
perfidy  of  the  Indians,  had  resolved   to  recommence 
the  Hlego,  and  to  complete  the  destruction  of  the  Nat- 
che/.  immediately  after  having  got  the  French  prisoners 
out  of  tlieir  hands;  and  the  Natciiez,  in  their  turn,  who 
in\  not  trust  the  French,  had  made  up  tlieir  minds  to 
£y  mth  all  the  Hj)()ils  they  could  carry.    On  the  27th, 
they  dcdivered  to  tluj  (Jhoctaws  all  the  French  women, 
children,  and  negroes,  and  in  the  night  of  the  28th| 
they  made  their  escape.     On  the  morning  of  the  29th, 
the  French,  much  to  their  surprise,  saw  the  forts  de- 
serted, and  found  hi  them  nothing  but  worthless  rags. 
Thus  finished  this  expedition,  which  reflects  little  credit 
oa  the  French  arms.     It  was  evidently  iil-concerted ; 
the  Fi-ench  ought  certainly  to  have  been  as  expeditious 
AS  tlie  Choctaws,  and  to  have  arrived  at  the  same  time 
to  strike  a  crushing  blow  with  their  united  forces.     On 
the  contrary,  the  undisciplined  Choctaws,  who  had  to 
come  by  land  over  three  hundred  miles,  were  the  first 
in  the  field  and  on  the  spot,  and  there  had  to  wait 
about  fifteen  days  for  their  white  allies,  who,  when  thoy 
invested  at  last  the  forts  of  the  Natchez,  and  attacked 
with  liglit  pieces  of  artillery,  almost  worthless  it  is  true, 
and  with  five  hundred  men,  could  do  nothing  effective 
in  twenty  days.     In  the  end,  it  was  the  intervention  of 
the  Choctaws  which  succeeded  in  bringing  the  Natchez 
to  terms ;  it  was  to  the  Choctaws  and  not  to  the  French, 


440 


COMMENTS  AND  REFLECTIONS  ON  THE 


that  tlipy  conscntod  to  ofivi^  uj)  their  pHsoncrs ;  and 
then,  eltidin.i,'  the  viijilmicc  of  the  Frc^nch,  or  l)liii(HMg 
them  by  the  influcnco  of  hi-ihory  and  coiniption,  tliey 
aeliiovod  their  retrciat  witli  honor  and  without  tlie 
slightest  loss. 

Diron  <rArta,i,Mietto,  one  of  the  kin^^^'n  coniniissari(^H, 
coniinentini,'  on  tliis  ex|)e(lition  in  ont;  of  liis  dispatrhes, 
reflects  severely  on  the   want  of  ]K)liey,  of  Ju(l<,nnent, 
and  of  activity  exhihited   l»y  Perier  on  this  occasion! 
Ho  also  Manies  Louhois  for  havin,<r  lost  so  many  days 
at  the  Tunicas,  wheiu^  lie  stopped  so  lon<r  und(u-  the  ap- 
preluMision  of  a  ,«i:(ineral  conspiracy,  wliich,  if  In^  moved 
forward,  would,  as  he  feared,  have   put   him   in   the 
awkward  ])ositi()n  of  havini,'  the  Natdiez  in  front  and 
otlmr  hostile    nations   in   the  rear.     He  s})eaks  in  no 
meiisnred  terms  of  what  he  calls  "  tlie  .^hamfful  conchi- 
sioii  of  the    ,myje;''    and    says,    "the  C'hoctaws,  it   is 
alledged,  wanted  to  retire,  but  the  truth  is,  that  the 
Fr(>nch  army  was  the  first  to  jn^ive  np;  and  strani^e 
stories  are  told  about  silver  ])late,  and  other  valualde 
articles,  which  became  the  subjects  of  clandestine  trans- 
actions."    He  tlius  jroes  on,  intimatinj?  pi-etty  In'oadly 
that  the  Natchez  bribed  the  French  into  allowing  them 
to  escape. 

Governor  Perier  says:  "Several  causes  liave  pre- 
vented our  ca])turiug  the  whole  Natchez  nation.  The 
first,  the  weakness  of  our  troops,  which  wei-e  good  for 
nothing;  the  second,  the  distrust  in  which  we  were  of 
the  Choctaws,  whom  we  suspected  of  treason.  This 
was  not  without  foundation ;  for  the  Natchez,  dur- 
ing^ the  siege,  reproached  them  a  thousand  times  with 
their  perfidy,  after  having  joined  in  the  general  con- 
spiracy of  which  the  Natchez  related  the  circumstances 
to  us.  They  also  Ijojisted  that  the  English  and  Chick- 
asaws  were  coming  to    their   rescue.     All   these  cir- 


I 


RESULT  OF  THE  SIEOE. 


441 


cnmntanceH,  which  were  not  encoura^nnir  for  men  who 
hml    hut   httl(.  ("xpcrh-noc.,    fom-d    L(,ul,ois,   who   had 
sorvc.l  u'lth  (listinctic.,,  f.  Ih,  satisHcd  with  thi,  snrmi- 
dvv  of  our  W()iiu,n,  chilch-t'ii,  and  iwirvoc.^.     This  wis  the 
essential  point.     I)'Arta,i,n,(,tt(,  (u  'hroth(=r  of  the  com. 
nnssai-y  of  tliat  natnc)  has  served  with  tlie  most  brilliant 
valor,  and  the  ])]anters,  with  credit,  havin-  D'Arens- 
l)ourg  and  J)e  Laye  at  their   head.     Thc^ereoles  dis- 
tni^nushed  themselves  particularly ;  all  the  offieers  have 
done  their  .luty,  with  th(,  exception  of  Kenault  d'Hau- 
terive,  1)(,  Mony,  and  Villainville.     Ffteen  ne-n-oes  in 
whose  hands  we  had  put  w.'ap.ms,  performed  imxli-des 
of  valor.     If  the  blacks  did  not  cost  so  nu.ch,  nm\  if 
their  labors  were  not  so   necessary  to   the  coh.ny   it 
would  },e  bettor  to  turn  them  into  soldiers,  and  to  «lis- 
miSH  those  we  have,  who  are  so  bad  and  so  cowardly 
that  they  seem  to  have  been  manufactured  r)urposelv 
for  this  colony."  ^       ■^ 

The  Natchez,  on  leaving  their  forts  and  native  hills 
crossed  the  Mississii)pi  to  take  refuge  among  the  Oua- 
chitas.     They  were  pursued  ]>y  tlu;  chief  of  thc!  Tunicas 
at  the  head  of  fifty  warriors,  who  kept  on  their  trail  in 
the  hope  of  picking  up  stragglers.     On  the  territory 
thus  abandoned,  the  French  began  the  erection  of  a 
brick  fort,  the  command  of  which,  with  a  garrison  of 
one  hundred  men,  was  given  to  the  Baron  of  Cresnay 
who  was  also  put  at  the  head  of  all  the  troops  in  Loui- 
siana, but  who  continued  to  act,  however,  in  a  subordi- 
nate capacity  to  Governor  Perier.     Loubois  was  re- 
warded for  his  successful  campaign  against  the  Natchez 
by  being  appointed  Major  and  Commander  of  New 
Orleans. 

When  the  French  and  their  red  allies  came  to  the 
settlement  of  their  accounts,  it  was  found  to  be  a  matter 
of  no  small  difficulty.     The  Choctaws  proved  to  be 


.'    !l. 


NEW  ORLEANS  ENCLOSED  AND  FORTS  ERECTED. 

more  exacting  in  their  pretensions  than  the  Natchez 
were,  in  relation  to  the  delivery  of  the  P'rench  women, 
children,  and  negroes.     The  negotiation  Avaxed  so  hot' 
that  the  French  and  Indians  were  very  near  coming  to 
blows.     Harmony  was  at  last  restored  between  them, 
by  the  interference  of  the  chief  of  the  Tunicas.     The 
French  having  given  up  almost  every  thing  they  could 
part  with,  and  promised  much  more,  the  Choctaws  de- 
livered  to  them  the  captives,  who  were  hastily  sent 
down  the  river,  to  remove  all  further  pretext  for  claim 
or  altercation.     The  Choctaws,  on  the  occasion  of  this 
war  between  the  French  and  Natchez,  behaved  with 
consummate  skill.     They  first  dealt  with  the  Natchez, 
and  put  uj)  their  alliance  with  them  at  the  highest  bid,' 
and  after  playing  them  off  for  some  time  with  this  de- 
lusive hope,  and  extorting  from  them  every  thing  they 
could,  seeing  that  they  had  pumped  the  well  dry,  they 
turned  toward  the  French,  and  listened  to  their  over- 
tures, of  which  they  made  the  most  to  their  own  ad- 
vantage.    So  that  this  war  ruined  the  Natchez,  em- 
poverished  the  French,  and  enriched  only  the  Choc- 
taws. ^  Thus  it  appears,  that,  in  diplomacy  at  least,  and 
in  national  egotism,  they  were  not  far  behind  the  most 
civilized  nations  of  modern  times. 

Governor  Perier  availed  himself  of  the  fears  of  the 
colonists,  to  push  on  with  activity  the  enclosing  of  the 
city  of  New  Orleans,— and  between  Natchez  and  New 
Orleans,  he  established  eight  small  forts,  as  guarantees 
of  protection,  and  places  of  refuge  in  case  of  need.  He 
also  took  measures  to  cause  all  the  small  nations  which 
dwelt  between  the  Balize  and  Natchez,  to  remove  away 
within  the  year,  with  the  excei)tion  of  the  Tunicas,  who 
had  given  so  many  proofs  of  attachment  to  the  French. 

The  poor  victims  of  the  Natchez  massacre  were  re- 
ceived at  New  Orleans  with  great  humanity,  and  enter- 


DEATH  OP  DE  LA  CHAISE. 


443 


tamed  at  the  public  expense  in  the  Charity  Hospital 
where  they  were  nursed  by  the  Ursulines  with  zeal! 
De  la  Chaise  made  a  generous  use  of  the  extensive  au- 
thority with  which  he  was  clothed,  to  satisfy  all  their 
wants.  Many  of  the  widows  were  soon  married,  and 
concessions  of  lands  were  made  to  them  at  Point  Coupee 
where  most  of  them  ultimately  settled.  ' 

Forgetting,  it  seems,  Chopart's  provocations,  Gover- 
nor  Perier,  in  his  dispatches,  and  the  other  French  offi- 
cers,  all  agreed  in  taxing  the  Englisli  with  having  in- 
^igated  and  provoked  the  war  of  the  Natchez  ''The 
English  know,"  says  Perier,  "  that  we  are  the  only  bar- 
riers  between  them  and  Mexico,  and  that  their  taking 
possession  of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  would  soon 
be  followed  by  their  occupation  of  the  Spanish  col- 
onies." Thus  what  has  happened  one  century  later 
was  distinctly  foreseen  in  1730.  ' 

Tliis  year,  the  colony  lost  De  la  Chaise,  one  of  the 
worthiest  men  it  had  yet  possessed.     He  left  a  name 
desei-vedly  popular  among  the  people,  for  unflinching 
integrity,  and  for  the  impartiality  with  which  he  check- 
ed abuses  of  power,  and  punished  delinquencies  amono- 
those  who  hithei'to  had  always  l)een  sure  of  inipunit^ 
His  sudden  death  gave  rise  to  some  dark  rumors  of  his 
having  ])een  poisoned  by  those  who  had  cause  to  fear 
his  investigations.      These   rumors  were   lono-  rife  in 
the  colony.     After  having  passed  a  panegyiTc  on  his 
virtues,  Le  Page  du  Pratz  concludes  by  saying,  "Those 
orphans  and  widows  who  escaped  from  the  Natchez 
massacre,  would  be  extremely  ungrateful  if  they  did 
not,  during  all  their  life,  pray  Ibr  the  soul  of  that  good 
and  charitable  man." 

On  the  1st  of  August,  Govei>nor  Perier  wrote: 
"  Those  of  the  Indians  who  had  entered  into  the  gen^ 
eral  conspiracy,  have,  since  its  failure,  come  back  to  us, 


■i|. 


I 


444 


PERIER'S  CRUELTY  TO  THE  NATCHEZ. 


i  II 


and  now  lielp  us  in  tlaily  harassing  tlie  Natcliez,  wlio 
liave  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  retired  into  the  inte- 
rior  of  the  country.  Since  their  flight,  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  having  fifty  of  them  either  killed  or  taken 
prisoners.  Latterly,  I  burned  here  four  men,  and  tivo 
wonwn,  and  sent  the  rest  to  jSt.  Domiiigo: — two  hundred 
and  fifty  warriors  of  the  friendly  nations,  have  been  dis- 
patched  by  me,  to  watch  and  blockade  the  Natchez, 
until  we  receive  more  troops  from  France." 

The  burning  of  two  women  and  of  four  men  was 
done,  no  doubt,  in  retaliation  of  Indian  atrocities.     But 
this  imitation  of  their  barbarous  manners  could  do  no 
good.     It  was  not  only  an  act  of  useless  cruelty,  but  of 
exceedingly  bad  policy.     It  could  not  serve  as  a  check, 
because  it  could  not  intimidate  men  who  gloried  in 
such  practices.     On  the  contrary,  it  must  have  looked, 
in  the  estimation  of  the  Indians,  as  an  approval  of  their 
national  custom,  l)y  a  people  who  pi-etended  to  be  so 
much  more  enlightened,  and   therefore  it  must  have 
operated  as  an  incentive,  or  encouragement.     But  what 
is  remarkal)le  and  characteristic  is  the  cool,  business- 
like indifierence,  and  the  matter  of  fact  tone  with  which 
Governor  Perier  informs  his  government  of  the  auto- 
da-fe  which  has  taken  place  by  his  orders.     He  writes 
on  the  burning  of  four  men  and  two  women  with  as 
much  unconcern,  as  a  cook  would  about  the  roasting  of 
a  leg  of  mutton  ! 

Although  scattered  about,  the  Natchez  did  not  cease 
to  make  the  French  feel  occasionally,  that  they  were 
not  all  exterminated.  One  day,  they  fell  on  twenty 
Frenchmen,  who  wei'e  cutting  timbei-  in  a  cypress 
swamp,  to  be  used  in  the  fort  they  were  constructing, 
and  they  killed  nineteen,  among  whom  was  "  the  Pa- 
rimin,'"  who  had  so  much  distinguished  himself  during 
the  siege.     Another  day,  six  Natchez  warriors  had  the 


MACHINATIONS  OP  THE  CHICKASAWS.  445 

hardihood  to  penetrate,  under  the  garb  of  friendly 
Indians,  into  the  fort  itself,  and  while  there,  they  rush, 
ed,  with  the  fury  of  mad  despair  and  revenge,  on  the 
French,  of  whom  they  killed  five,  and  wounded  many 
more.  Five  of  these  dare-devils  were  killed  after  a 
desperate  fight,  and  the  sixth,  being  taken  prisoner,  was 
burnt. 

A  few  days  after,  the  Tunicas  carried  to  New  Orleans 
a  Natchez  woman  they  had  captured,  and  Governor 
I'erier  allowed  them  to  Imrn  her  in  great  ceremony  on  a 
platform  erected  in  front  of  the  city,  between  the  city 
and  the  Levee.     I  regret  to  relate  that  the  whole  popula- 
tion  of  New  Orleans  turned  out  to  witness  that  Indian 
ceremony.     The  victim  supported,  with  the  most  stoic^d 
tortitude,  all  the  tortures  which  were  inflicted  upon  her 
and  did  not  shed  a  tear,-on  the  contrary,  she  upbraid' 
ed  her  torturers  with  their  want  of  skill,  and  flingino- 
at  them  every  opprobrious  epithet  she  could  think  of 
she  prophesied  their  speedy  destruction.     Her  predic' 
tion  proved  true:-the  Tunicas  had  hardly  returned 
home,  when  they  were  surprised  by  the  Nat  Jiez,  their 
village  burnt,  their  old  chief,  the  constant  ally  of  the 
J^rench,   killed,   and    almost    their  whole   nation   de- 
stroyed. 

These  deeds  of  so  much  daring,  show  the  state  of 
desperation  to  which  the  Indians  had  been  reduced 
and  their  thirst  for  revenge.  They  were  executed  by  a 
part  ot  that  nation  which  had  taken  refuge  among  the 
Cnckasaws,  while  the  French  had  thought  that  the 
whole  nation  had  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  gone  over 
to  Black  Kiver. 

The  Chickasaws,  having  thus  granted  an  asylum  to 
the^  Natchez,  foresasv  that  they  would  l)e  attacked  in 
their  turn,  and  sought  to  anticipate  the  blow,  by  stir- 
ling  up  the  Indian  nations  against  the  French,  and  by 


446 


fHS  PRINCIPAL  OFFICERS 


exciting  tlie  Waclca  to  revolt.  Fortunately,  the  con- 
Bpiracy  of  the  blacks  wan  discovered  in  time;  one 
woman  was  hung,  and  eight  men  broken  on  the  wheel, 
ainong  whom  was  a  negro  of  the  name  of  Samba,  who 
was  at  the  head  of  the  conspirators,  and  who  was  a  man 
of  the  most  desperate  character.  The  majority  of  the 
negroes  then  in  the  colony  were  Banbanis,  and  they 
were  the  concoctei-s  of  the  rebellion.  Their  plan 
was,  after  having  l>utchered  the  whites,  to  keep  as  their 
slaves,  all  the  blacks  who  were  not  of  their  nation,  and 
to  rule  the  country  under  leaders  pcu-iodically  elected. 
It  would  have  been  a  sort  of  J^aid)ara  republic. 

All  these  events,  crowding  upon  each  other,  had  kept 
the  colonists  in  a  constant  fever  of  fearful  excitement. 
Their  apprehensions  were  a  little  allayed  by  the  arrival, 
on  the  loth  of  August,  of  a  small  additional  corps  of 
troops,  commanded  by  De  Salverte,  a  brother  of  Perierj 
so  that  the  forces  of  the  colony  could  then  be  set  down 
at  about  one  thousand  to  twelve  hundred  regulars,  and 
eight  hundred  militiamen.  It  would  have  been  a  pretty 
effective  force,  if  it  could  have  been  kept  concentrated, 
instead  of  being  scattered  in  distant  settlements. 

The  principal  officers  who  Avere  then  in  active  service 
in  Louisiana,  were  the  following  :— 


1; 


II 


The  Chkvalier  de  LouboiS| 
Thk  IJahon  of  Chksnay, 
The  Chevalier,  de  Noyak, 

])E  St.  Julien, 


tt 


D'Artagiiette, 
De  Heauchamp, 
De  Ukssan, 
De  St.  Denis, 
De  Gauvrit, 
De  PnADEL, 
De  GuurcelleS| 


DTIauterive, 

De  Liisser, 

Petit  de  Lieulliers, 

Simare  de  Belleislb, 

D'AUENSBOURG,      MaUIN    DE  LA    ToUR, 

De  Grandpre, 

The  Chevalier  d'Herneuvilib, 
•  De  l'Angloiseril, 
De  St.  Ange, 
De  LAimmssoNNiERE, 
De  Coulanges, 


ii 


IN  LOUISIANA. 


447 


con- 
one 
leel, 
who 
man 
'the 
they 
plan 
heir 
and 
ited 


They  were,  all  of  them,  aristocratic  scions  of  noble 
houses,  who  had  come  to  better  their  fortunes  in  Louis- 
lana,  and  with  the  hope  of  more  rapid  advancement  in 
their  mditary  career,  on  account  of  the  dangers  of  the 
colonial  service,  in  which,  for  that  reason,  years  counted 
double  for  the  army,  either  for  promotion  or  in  support 
of  an  application  for  a  retiring  pension. 


cept 
Lent, 
ival, 
s  of 
•ier; 
3wn 
and 
stty 
ted, 


H'xi'm 


nee 


LLG, 


!ii 


''  I 


SIXTH  LECTURE, 

BxriCIltTIO!*    O?    rKKlKIl     A<IAIN:1T    THK     NaTCHKZ— IIk     ()()K8     UP     RkD     RivKR     AND 

Pl.AlK     UlVKIl    IN    IMIISHIT   OK   TIIKM — SlKllK    OK    TllKIll    KollT MoMT  OK  TIIKM  ARK 

TAKKN    I'lUSONKRS  AMI  sol, I)  AS    Sl.AVKS — (CONTINUATION    OK   TIIK    NaTiHKZ    WaU 

Thk    India    (Iomivvnv   si'iuik-ndkhs    ns   ('haiiikr  —  Oiuiinancks    on    tiik   Cvr- 

RKNCY  OK  THK  ('OlINTRY  — ItlKNVM.I.K  RKAITOINTKI)    OoVKHNOll— SITUATION    OK   TIIK 

Colony  at  that  timk—Tiik  Natciii:/,  takk  liKKUnK  amono  thk  OmcKASAWrt 
Orkat  Risk  ok  tiik  Mississiim-i  ani>  (Iknkkai.  Inundation  —  Mxtraorihnary 
Ni'MiiKH  OK  Mad  Doos  —  Kxi'kdhion  ok  Hiknvii.i.k  aoainst  tiik  Oiiickahawh 

11k     ATIAIKS     TIIKIR     Nll.l.AOKS HaTII.KOK    AlKIA— DaUINO     Kxi-I.OIT     OK    TIIK 

BLACK  MAN,  Simon  — HlKNYIILK  IS  IIIATKN  AND  KOItCKD  TO  RKTKKAT— Kxi'KDI  ITON 
f)K      D'AiMM;!  KIIK      A(U!XS1'     THI)      ("mkk  ASAWS  —  I  lis      DliKKAT      AN!)      DkATH 

Ilisnmv  oi-  John  I'uii.ii'  (iitoNDKi.— Oihkii  I'aknis  and  Facts  krom  17'J9  to 
17;!li. 

TiiK  Fivncli  liiul  iit  l.-ist  taken  i)()ss('ssi()n  of  all  the 
ancient  (loinalns  of  the  Natelie/;  but  (Jovenior  Porier, 
considerinjj^  the  depmlations  still  eoinniitted  by  that 
indomitabK'  tribe,  eanie  to  the  eoiu'liision  that  their 
Coni|)lete  destnu'tion  was  indisjxMisabh'  to  tlu^  i)i'osj>er- 
\ty  and  safety  of  the  colony.  Accordingly,  he  dei)arted 
for  ^Mobile,  to  r(>ne\v  treaties  of  alliance  which  the 
French  had  with  the  Choctaws,  and  to  take  all  the 
measni-es  necessaiy  to  secure  their  neutrality,  while  he 
would  be  eni>^aged  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war  of  ex- 
termination he  had  deterniined  to  carry  against  the 
Natchez.  Tlu'  ('hoctaws  were  so  nuich  i)le;i«ed  with 
the  pivsents  made  to  them  by  Perier,  that  they  offered 
to  join  liim  in  the  new  expedition  he  meditated  against 
tlie  Natchez.  But  Porier  refused,  because  he  thouuht 
it  good  i)oliey  to  show  the  Choctaws  that  the  French 
could,  contrary  to  the  belief  of  tiiese  barbarians,  do 
very  well  without  their  aid. 


rKIlIKU  IIKADS  AN  EXPEDITION  ACMINST  THE  NATCHEZ.    449 

On  tJ.o  l;5th  of  Novouih.r,  n:>.(),  Porlor  vvUmu.]  to 
Now  Orh.ms,  wIutc  lu,  io„n(l  that  Lis  hrotl.er  ISalvorte 
liud  aln.ost  co,M,,letv,l  all  tlu-  preparations  n..<vssarv  for 
tlu3  conteniplat.Ml  .'Xiu-dition.     On  tli,.  Dtli  of  I),r,.n.l.,.r 
Sulvcrte  (l<.part(Ml  witl.  t,wo  battalions  of  nmrin<.s  1.,' 
luu\  takvn  from  a  sl.ip  of  fh,  lin,-   witl.  instructions  to 
wait  for  tl.o  govei-nor  at  tl.o  viJla-e  of  Carkj.stin,  wlu-re 
he  was  jo.ncd,  on  tl,.  1  .'{th,  by  tl.at  ln.i.b  fnnctionary, 
witli  al    tho  annnnnition,  jH-ovisions,  &c.,  whicli   were 
reciuir.M|   and  all  the  trooj)s  of  the  colony  which  could 
be  spared. 

IMovr  proceeding  fartlier,  Pdrier  receive<l  the  grate- 
ful  intelhgenee  that  tlu,  Indian  nations  on  the  northern 
fronfens,  had  remainc-d  faithf.d  to  the  French,  and  were 
wa-mg  vigorous  war  against  the  nation  of  the  Foxes 
tH.  heivditary  foes  of  the  Illinois,  whose  friendshij>  to 
the  iMrnch  had  inad<.  them  valuabl*.  allies  on  all  occa- 
sions.    Perier  was  oiHcinlly  informed  that  a  great  bat- 
tle Jiad  taken  plac(,  between  the  Fo.vvs  and  tl.e  Illinois 
iieaded  by  some  Frenchmen;  and  that  the  Foves  Jiad 
been  so  completely  routed,  that  they  had   lost   from 
eleven   to  twelve  hund.vd   men.     It  was  one  of  the 
hercest  Indian  battles  which  was  ever  put  on  record. 

On  the  14th,  (Jovernor  l>(iri(!r  ])roceeded  to  IJaya- 
goulas,  wliere  he  stoj.ped  four  days  to  wait  for  the  <li. 
vision  ot  j,lant,.rs  commanded  l)y  Benac,  and  for  the 
larger  boats  which  contained  the  provisions,  and  which 
AV(ire  so  miwuddy  that  they  could  not  keej)  uj)  with  the 
nrmy.     The  governor  had  dlvide'd  his  army  into  three 
coi-ps,  in(>rder  to  i)rev(^nt  conflicts  and  to  produce  emu- 
lution.     The  first,  composed  of  one  himdre<l  and  fifty 
marines  and  forty  sailors,  was  commanded  by  his  brother 
Isalverte.     The  second,  consisting  of  the  troops  of  the 
colony  was  under  the-  liaron  of  Cresnay ;  and  the  third, 
the  nulitia,  was  headed  by  JJenac.    This   hust   corps 


t 


M 


4S0 


FEARS  OF  THE  TUNICAS. 


joined  tlio  rrat,  only  at  Ikyagonl.'iH,  on  the  lOtli;  the 
whole  army  moved  tbrvvard  on  tlie  22d,  and  on  the 
sanu!  day  encamped  at  Maiichae  for  the  night.  There, 
Perier  left  the  army,  and  hastened  to  the  Tunicas,  in 
order  to  accelerate  the  movements  of  such  of  the  war- 
riors of  that  trihe  as  had  survived  the  deftsat  they  had 
suffered  from  the  Natchez.  On  the  27th,  Salvcirtt;,  to 
whom  Perier  had  left  the  comnuind  of  the  army,  joined 
his  l)i-uther  at  the  Tunicas. 

On  the  'JSth,  the  army  beji^an  its  march  for  the  mouth 
of  Pcd  Kiver,  whci'e  was  the  gen(>ral  remh^zvous,  and 
where  the  ship.  Prince  of  Conti,  had  ])een  sent  with 
most  of  the  articles  necessaiy  for  the  cam])aign.  Perier 
remained  until  the  ;^d  of  January,  17;U,  witJi  the  Tuni- 
cas, where  his  pivseiice  was  i'e([uired  to  make  them  join 
the  expedition ;  which  they  wei'e  loth  to  do,  becaiuse 
they  were  afraid  to  leave  their  village,  their  women 
and  children,  exposed  to  the  fury  of  some  of  the  ma- 
rauding parties  of  the  Natchez.  They  had  indeed  good 
reasons  for  ap]»rehension,  having  just  been  informed 
that  l)e  Coulang(>s,  whom  Perlei-  had  sent  m  a  boat, 
with  some  Frenchmen  and  a  crew  of  twenty  men,  com- 
posed of  Intlians  and  free  l)lacks,  to  the  fort  lately  built 
at  Natchez,  with  orders  to  proc'.ed  as  high  up  the  i-iver 
as  tho  Arkansas,  had  been  attacked,  and  that  half  of 
his  eom])anions  had  been  killeil  or  wounded.  De  la 
Touche,  Heaulieu,  and  Cochart  were  among  the  foi-mer, 
and  De  Conlanges  had  received  two  severe  wounds. 
This  bold  attack  on  the  part  of  the  Natchez,  had  fright- 
ened all  the  small  natit)ns,  and  Perier  could  not  gather 
round  him  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  their 
warriors,  but  they  were  of  the  bravest. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1731,  Perier  joined  the  army 
at  the  mouth  of  Ked  River,  where  he  found  aU  his 
forces  united.     The  difhculty  then  was  to  discover  the 


of 


THE  FRENCH  ARRIVE  AT  THE  NATCHEZ"  STRONGHOLD.    451 

8tron^rI,o],l  vvli.re  tl.o  Natchez  had  concealed  them. 
Helves  ,n  those  in.knowM  re-Ions.    The  Fi'ench  ascended 
Ued  luver,  went  int.,  Hhu-k  Kiver,  from  Black  Uiver 
into  a  stream  they  called  S/lver  Rhet;  and  fr.nn  that 
stream  nito  a  small  lake,  not  far  from  which  tlw^v  had 
l)een  told  tlu>  Natchez  were.     It  Is  not  improhahle  that 
the  stream  which  is  liere  mentioned  is  no  othcu-  than 
the  one  now  set  down  on  the  map  a.s  the  O.iaclilta,  and 
that  the  lake  alluded  to  is  the  small  one  which  is  at  a 
short  distance  from  Trinity,  in  the  parish  of  Catahouh, 
1  he  ].  rench  arrived  at  that  Like  on  the  li)th  of  January, 
after  havmg  rnct  on  that  day  a  ]>arty  of  Natchez,  of 
vvhom  they  killed  two  men  and  one  woman.    There 
the  irench  had  happen.nl  to  come  very  close  to  the 
«  ronghold  of  the  Natchez,  without  a.s  yet  l,ei„^.  aware 
ot  It.     Lut  on  the  20th,  they  captured  u  Natchez  boy, 
Who  was  iishuiir,  and  who,  under  the  influence  of  threats 
ami  promises  of  reward,  showed  the  French  the  path 
^•hich    ed  to  the  Indian  fort.     Governor  Perier  sent 
forward  Irench  and  Indian  scouts  and  marksmen,  sui> 
ported  l)y  two  companies  of  regulars  commanded  l.y  Da 
Lusser  and  De  la  (Jirouar.iiere.'    He  next  followed  with 
the  rest  of  the  army,  after  havlnr.  left  behind  the  Baroii 
of  Oresnay  with  one  Imndred  men,  to  protect  the  French 
camj)  and  boats. 

(iovernor  Perier  had  hardly  .jrlven  the  order  to  march, 
when  he  heard  a  brisk  fire  of  musketry  kept  up  between 
the  fort  and  the  skirmishers.  After  having  marched  an 
iiour  the  army  came  in  sight  of  the  fort.  The  Tunicas 
attacked  some  fortified  liouses  wlilcli  seemed  to  be  in- 
tended  aa  outposts,  and  drove  the  N  :t.chez  out  of  them 
On  the  21st  when  the  fort  was  ce:apV  tely  invested,  Pd- 
rier  ordered  the  Barou  of  Cresnay  to  join  him.  Ho 
then  sent  a  flag  to  the  Natchez,  and  summoned  them 
to  give  up  the  negroes  who  remained  in  their  po.ssea- 


lit 


I 


452 


THE  NATCHEZ  PUOPOSE  PEAOR 


♦ »:  ■ 


n  ■ 


sion.     The  Natcluv.  fired  on  the  flag,  cryins:  f>ut  that 
tlu  French  w(!io  dogs,  and  that  they  would  hav<!  noth- 
ing to  do  with  tlieui.     On  this  aiiswer,  tlie  French  be- 
guu  to  cast  grenades  into  tlie  fort,  and  tliey  had  mo- 
ceeded  in  producing  considerable  effect,  when  the  two 
mortars  Avhich  they  used,  being  of  wood,  ^ui-sted,  and 
woundetl  those  that  managed  tl-em.     At  half-past  Hvd 
in  the  evening,  the  Natchez  mad   a  sally,  in  which  they 
killed  a  negro,  a  grenadier  of  the  murines,  and  wounded 
a  sergeant  and  De  I^aye,  one  of  the  militia  officers.     At 
eight  o'clock  the  same  evening,  although  the  weather 
was  very  stormy,  the  French  began  to  mine,  and  kept 
up  their  firing  with  muskets,  one  field-jViece,  and  one 
mortar,  which  was  their  last  one,  and  for  which  they 
had  sent  to  the  boats.     The  Natcliez  still  retained  oos- 
session  of  a  fortified  outpost,  which  enfiladed  the  French 
worl-  linn  engaged  in  the  trenches.     On  the  22d,  Perier 
ordered  it  to  be  attacked  by  twelve  grenadiers  and 
twelve  sappers.     But  on  their  being  repulsed,  he  sent 
his  brother,  who  carried  it  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  after 
a  vigorous  defense  made  by  the  Indians. 

On  the  23d,  the  French,  under  the  protection  of  the 
redoubt  they  had  taken  from  the  Natchez,  pushed  on 
their  trenches  with  more  vigor,  and  apj)roached  more 
closely  to  the  fort. 

On  tlie  24th,  the  Natchez,  perceiving  that  the  Fn  iicTi 
were  preparing  to  storm  the  fort,  and  fearing  the  re- 
sult, made  propositions  of  peace.  Perier  answ  (  red  that 
he  would  hold  no  communication  with  them,  unless  they 
did,  as  a  pr»'liminary  proceeding,  deliver  up  all  the  bla(!k 
slaves  they  had  in  their  possession,  and  unless  tluiir 
chiefs  came  out  to  have  a  personal  interview  with  him, 
midway  between  the  fort  and  the  camp.  The  Natche25 
immediately  gave  up  nineteen  negroes  and  one  negress, 
and  said  that  there  remained  only  six  negroes,  who  had 


fiUBSENOKB  OF  TBEIB  FORT,  AND  ESOAPIL  48t 

gone  OBt  on  a  hunting  excursion  with  Home  of  their 
people.    After  nuu-li  hesitation,  founded  on  miscrivinm, 
which  pro^■.l  t,»  be  correct,  it   was  also  airreed  that 
icners  «tli  r  demand  shouhl  he  comi.lie.l   .vith ;  and 
the  Great  8un,  the  Littki  Hun,  and  tlie  chief  of  the  Corn 
Village  came  out,  at  four  o'clock   in  the  afternoon  to 
meet  the  French  i-hief     After  the  usual  ex.-hange'of 
mutual  salutations  ha.  I    iken  place,  as  it  began  to  rain, 
Ferier  proi)osea  to  the  Indian  chiefs  to  enter  into  a 
cabm  close  by,  which  seemed  to  be  deserted,  but  as 
soon  as  they  crossed  its  threshold,  they  were  surrounded 
by  armed  soldlei-s,  .  nd  made  prisoners.     Night  came 
on,  the  bad  weather  increased,  and,  at  twelve  o'clock 
hm\  become    a  frightful    tempest.      The  chief  of  the' 
C      II  Village  availed  hin  ,elf  of  that  circumstance,  and 
although  shut  up  I'    .  tent  under  the  guard  of  twelve 
men,  contrived  to  escape,  without  being  hurt  by  the 
shots  which  were  aimed  at  him. 

On  the  2r)th,  the  storm  continued  to  rage,  and  inter, 
fered  very  much  with  the  evacuation  of  the  fort,  and 
tile  complete  surremler  of  the  Natchez,  which  at  last 
had  bren  agreed  upon.     However,  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  forty-five  men,  and  four  hundred  and  flft^  women 
and  children  were,  at  ditt'erent  intervals,  deli  v.   ed  uj)  to 
the  French,  with  all  their  baggage  and  effe.  iS.     But 
night  having  set  in,  tli    rest  of  the  Natchez  made  a  sud- 
den sally,  and  taking  the  French  by  surprise,  made 
their  escape  without  one  shot  l.einj^  fired  at  them,  so 
dark  the  night  wis,s<»  deluge-like  th-^  rain,  and  so  little 
disposed  were  the  French,  and  even  ^heir  red  ;  lies,  to 
move  from  their  quarters,  and  to  .  xpos.>  themselves  to 
the  pitiless  fury  c     fhe  elements.     The       xt  mormng, 
only  two  sick  men  and  one  woman  were  lound  in  the 
fort.    Perier  says,  in  one  of  his  dispatches,  that  the 
party  that  thus  eluded  his  vigilance    and  effect  lated 


,  wj  , 


t' 


454 


THE  NATCHEZ  PRISONERS  SOLD  AS  SLAVE* 


iln^HlPi 

B 

1 

M: 

P        ' 

I^H 

'VI 

it' 


such  a  successful  retreat,  in  front  of  such  overwhelming 
odds,  consisttnl  only  of  sixteen  men  and  foui-  women, 
lint  this  was  a  willful  miHi'ei)resentation  of  the  truth,  the 
object  of  which  was  to  conceal  his  humiliation,  and  to 
impress  his  orovernment  with  the  belief  that  his  success 
had  heea  c^reater  than  it  really  was.  It  is  not  at  all 
probable  that  the  i)lace  where  the  Oreat  Sun  had  taken 
refuge  with  so  many  women  and  children,  was  defend- 
ed only,  according  to  Perier's  statement,  by  about  sixty 
warriors.  Other  accounts  inform  us,  that  the  number 
of  warrioi-s  who  thus  baffled  him,  and  s]ii)ped  from  his 
grasp,  exceeded  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Perier  having, 
the  next  morning,  sent  his  Indian  allies  in  pursuit,  they 
killed  one  Natchez,  and  took  two  whom  they  burned 
at  the  stake. 

On  the  2(>th  and  27th,  the  army  was  employed  in 
demolishing  the  foi-t,  with  its  fortified  outposts,  and  in 
burning  all  their  materials.     On  the  28th,  the  French 
began  their  retrograde  march,  and  came  to  encamp  on 
the  bank  of  Silver  Bayou,  or  river.     On  the  29th,  they 
embarked  to  return  to  the  Mississi])pi,  through  Black 
River  and  Ked  River.     In  one  of  his  dispatches,  Perier 
bestows  much  pi-aise  on  the  conduct  of  all  the  men  he 
had  under  his  orders,  and  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the 
emulation  which  existed  among  the  several  corps.    But 
he  skipped  very  lightly  over  the  manner  in  which  he 
made  the  Indian  chiefs  prisoners.     He,  no  doubt,  felt 
that  it  was  a  shameful  breach  of  faith,  the  mention  of 
which  would  make  him  blush,  and  provoke  indignation. 
However,  he  was  a  man  of  no  half-way  measures,  and 
at  least,  not  over-scrupulous  in  his  dealings  with  the 
Indians.     As  soon  as  he  reached  New  Orleans,  he  sent 
the  Great  Sun,  the  Little  Sun,  the  forty-five  other  male 
prisoners  and  the  four  hundred  and  "fifty  women  and 
children  to  St.  Domingo,  where  they  were  sold  as  slaves. 


DEPREDATIONS  OF  THE  SURVIVORS. 


400 


'h 


Amon^them  was  the  princess  "/?/•«*;>/>/,/.','' who  re- 
lated ull  the  (;ircumHtances  of  the  conspiracy  of  the 
^atche/,  in  which  she  acted  a  j.art  so  friendly  to  the 
h  reneh.  "^ 

With  sucli  stakes  in  his  liands,  it  would  seem  tliat 
Perier  nnght  liave  i)]ayed  a  ])etter  ^tmw.  with  the  Nat- 
chez, and  have  induced  them  toemi-rate  far  beyond  the 
Jrench  settlements,  as  a  condition  of  jiis  restoring  to 
th(.m  tluiir  soverei.trn,  their  women  and  cliildren.  It  is 
liki^ly  that  these  would  have  ],een  considerations  suffi- 
ciently  powerful,  to  mak.^  them  subscribe  to  all  the  con- 
ditions wliich  wouhl  have  hvm  (h'emed  necessary  to  se- 
cure the  future  trancpiillity  of  the  colony. 

However,  a  ditfeirnt  course  of  jjoiicy  wa.s  pursued, 
and  entailed    upon  the  French  a  Ion-    train  of  ever- 
reviv.n-  difficulties.    The  Natchez,  driven  l,y  their  losses 
to  the  last  stage  of  desi)air,  instead  of  being  cowed 
were   nerved   to   frenzy  by  their   misfortunes.     They 
thought  of  nothing  but  revenge,  cost  what  it  might  and 
they  committed  more   depredations   than  durino-'  the 
past.     Diron  d'Artaguette,  in  one  of  his  dispatches, 
said  that  the  Natchez,  far  from  being  destroye.1  as  it 
had  })een  represented,  num})ered  still  three  hundred 
warriors,   who   had    escaped    from   the  grasp  of  the 
J^rencli,  and  who  panted  for  their  ])lood.     After  their 
last  defeat  near  Black  Eiver,  some  of  the  scattered  rem- 
nants of  that  tribe  having  incorporated  themselves  with 
the  Chickasaws,  were  incessantly  engaged  in  maraud- 
ing  expeditions  directed  ftgainst  their  white  foes.     In 
the  month  of  April,  1731,  they  attacked  four  boats 
which  Governor  Perier  had  sent  up  to  Arkansas.     At 
the  first  fire  from  the  Indians,  the  commanding  officer 
had  two  of  his  men  killed  and  two  wounded,  and  al- 
though he  had  seventy  men  under  his  orders,  so  numer- 
ous were  the  Indians,  that  he  was  obliged  to  fall  back 


456 


BEAUOHAMPVS  VIEWS  ON  THE 


¥''  I  i 


^mm^^' 


Hi 


and  to  n  void  the  contest.     Governor  Pavlov  liavinc.  sent 
an  ennssuiy  to   the    C^hiekasaws  to  denimid  of  them 
that  they  slioul.l  dismiss  the  Natchez  nnder  pain  of  his 
dis])h'asni-e,  th(«se   Indians  answered  proudly  tliat  they 
wouhl   know  liow  to  i)r()tect  tliose  tt)  whom  tlie  lios- 
pitah'ty  of  tlieir  tribe  liad  been  teiuhM-ed  and   pledi,^ed. 
Thus,  a  ('hickasaw  war  had  risen  from  tlie  aslies  of't'io 
Natchex    war.      Attempts    were  made  to  indue,^    the 
Cliootaws  to  ])ronounee  themselves  ai^^ainst  th((  Ohiek- 
asaws.     -iiut,"  said  Diron  d'Arta-uetto,  on  this   sub- 
ject, "  how  can  ^yo  vvev  succeed,  wlien  we  liave  nothing 
m  oui-  j)oss«.ssion  to  tempt  those  Indians  to  become  ou? 
allies,   when   we    aiv   without  resources,   without  i)ro- 
visions,  and  have  every  tiling-  to  fear." 

^  lieauchamp,  who  comm;.nd(>d  at  Mobile,  writing  to 
his  government  on  this  matter,  exjiressed  himself  thus: 
"The  Choctaws  arc  not  disposed  favorably,  which  is 
the  more  to  ])e  regretted  from  tlu.  fact  tliat,  should  this 
nation  declare  itself  against  us,  we  should  be  obliged  to 
abandon  the  colony,  provided  however  we  had  time  to 
do  so.      Since  the  departure  of  Bienville,  all  the  In- 
dians  are  spoiled.     In  spite  of  tlu^  auo-mentati«.n  of 
merchandise  we  have  to  supply  tliem  with,  and  of  the 
reduction  in  the  .piantity  of  fuis   which   tluy  giv(^  us 
back  in  return,  thty  are  not  satisfied.     ( )n  the'contrary, 
tluy  are  iiusolent  and  less  ti-actable.     Our  war  with  the 
Natchez  was  a  source  of  xcxation  and  dan<,n'r  (,nly  to 
our  traders  on  the  Mississij)pi,  but  the  Chickasaw  war 
IS  a  cause  of  uneasiness  and  aj)prehension  to  the  Avhole 
colony.     These  Indians  liad  sent  three  emissaries  to  the 
Illinois  to  urge  them  to  side  against  us,  but  these  emis- 
saries   have   been  delivered   into   our  liands,  and  M. 
Perier  intends  to  have  them  V)urnt." 

To  increase  the  troubles   of  the   Frendi,  the  AH- 
bamous  and   Talapouches,  at  the   instigation  of  the 


I!     I  .J 

m 


SITUATION  OF  THE  COLONY. 


457 


•ii 


ClucL'isaw.,  who  Imd  .c^oiie  over  to  the  Britisli  interest 

.a,l  l,c..„  on  the  eve  of  aedarin^  the,nselves  a^ui,.st  the 
Choc^tons    who  mM-e  tlie  only  allies  whose  assistance 
tu,P,,.n,.h   hoped   to  have.     "  If  sueh  an  event  ha.l 
t.iken  plaee,    eontnn,es  Jieau<-han.,),  "the  colony  would 
W  lK.n  on  are.     The   English  are  evidently'l.aini  ! 
ground  u,,on  us."     I[.  then  ,.,.s  on  invei-diinc.  I'^itt.rly 
a^anj^  Pener's  a<lnnnistration,  and  the  ^Vst,^!  of  pol^ 
H-ythis   ofheer  had  assumed  towanl  the"  In.lians      In 
conelus.on  hesays:  "The  evil  is  now  without  a  ren'iedy 
-.loss  M.  de  iWill.  oonhlconie  haek.     Perhaps  he 
could  sm-eeed  ,n  ehan^ini^  the  state  of  things,  on  ac- 
count  ot  the  eonshhM-ation  whieh  the  Indians^ have  al- 
ways had  for  him,  an.l  of  the  services  whicli  he  has 
rendered  them,  particularly  to  the  Choctaws." 

Atter  a  niuiute  description  of  the  situation  of  the 
colony,  Peauchamp  closes  thus  his  remarks  to  the  min^ 
ister:      You  see  to  uhat  a  state  of  things  is  reduced 
his  colony,  which  has  so  long  been  groaning  under  a 
^^  o<,nnna,Hh      The  colonists   are    in  a   miserably 
.vietched  condition,  and  are  ill  .sui)plied  with  the  pro- 
visions and  the  merchamlise  they  want.     When  flour 
s  sen    here  the  heads  of  the  colony  take  ho.d  of  it,  as 
they  do  with  all  the  bran.ly  and  c-ordials  which  are  im- 
ported, and  they  do  not  part  with  these  articles,  except 
ut  exorbitant  prices.     It  is,  after  all,  what  they  do  fbr 
every  sort  „f  merchandise.     The  soldiers,  also,  have 
almiys  had  j  ust  causes  of  complaint  against  the  company, 
with  regar<l  to  their  food  and  clothing.     I  need  not 
speak  otthe  enormous  profits  made  by  the  company  on 
every  thnig  ot  which   it  i)ermitted  the  sale  in  the  col- 
ony.  ^     Ihis   compendious    but  grapliic  description  is 
sufhcient  to  show  the  dise.i.e  which  preyed  on  the  vitals 
of  Louisiana,  and  which  was  keej.ing  her  ii  such  a  pro- 
tracted  state  ot   consumptive   languor.     ,'Jeauchan.p's 


458 


THE  INDTA  COMPANY 


commonta  on  Perior's  luirslmoss  were  cortainly  deserved 
so  t;ir  iit  least,  jis  tlie  denliiii^'s  of  this  officer  witli  the 
Indians  are  taken  into  consiihTation.  His  consii,min<>' 
tlieni  to  the  stakt>  and  ta<j:<)t,  or  his  sellinuf  tlieiu  into 
bonihioc,  were  nu'asures  of  no  soothing-  character,  and  it 
is  not  astonishing  tliat  B(>aucliani])  slionhl  have  drawn 
the  eonclnsion,  tluit  the  retnrn  of  the  niihl  and  Imniane 
Bienvilh^  as  governor,  wonUl  be  looked  upon  by  the  In- 
dians as  a  ])oon  of  eoneiliation. 

Such   Ix'ing  the   course  of  events  in  Louisiana,  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  tliat  the  givat  India  (-oujpany, 
the  creation  of  which  liad  j)roduced  such  a  ferment,  on 
account  of  the  i)rodigi("s  it  was  expected  to  work  in  the 
production  oC  wealth,  <h-ooping  under  the  infliction  of 
so  many  disappointments  and  the  load  of  so  many  obli- 
gations, should  have  been  anxious   to   waive  the  mo- 
nopoly  of    trade,   and  all  th(i  other  {)rivileges  it   had 
obtained  to  colonize  Louisiaiui.      After  receiving  the 
melancholy  intellig(>nce  of  the  Natch(>z  massaci-e,  tlu; 
directors  of  tht>  company  and  the  stockholders,  almost 
unanimously,  came  to  tlu'  eonclnsion  that  they  conld  no 
longer  support  the  expenses  which  W(>r(^  necessary  to 
keep  u])  the  colony,  and  on  the  '2'M  of  January,  17;U, 
they  ])r.)posed  to  the  king  to  return  into  his  hands  the 
chartei'  which   they  at   last  found  to  he  too  onerous. 
They  alledged  in  their  petition  that,  in  i)roHtless  at- 
temj)ts  to  rariy  this    charter  into  execution,  they  had 
already  sju'iit  twenty  millions  of  livres,  and  that  tley 
Mould  completely  break  down  under  the  obligations 
they  had  assunu'd,  if  the  govermnent  did  not  come  to 
their  ivjief     This  ])ro]iosition  gave  rise  to  a  series  of  ne- 
gotiations, ai'd  to  varions  transactions  between  the  gov- 
ernment and  the  comjyany,  Avhich  are  not  of  sufficient 
mterest  to  l)e  related.      But  the  ])i'oposed  retrocession 
became  at  last  final,  and  the  government  must  be  con 


SURRENDERS  ITS  CHARTER.  459 

sidered  as  having  entin^ly  resumed  the  administration 
of  tlie  colony,  on  the  ir.th  of  Novem]>er,  wlien  it  issued 
several  oi-dinances  relative  to  tli<^  winding  up  of  tlie 
affairs  of  the  company.     Two   del(>gates,  "Urnsld  and 
Bru,  were  appointed  hy  the  king  to  proceed  to  J.ouisi- 
ana,  to  lupiidate  and  setth;  the  accounts  of  the  com- 
pany  with  the  government  and  with  individuals;  and 
the  creditors  of  the  comi)any  in  the  colony  were  ordered 
to  present  their  claims  f/ier,  to  the  delegat(>s,  foi-  exaini- 
nation,  ap])rol)ation,  and  ])ayment,  thos(>  creditors  heiuf^ 
proliil.ited  fi-om  suing  tlu^  company  in  Europe  for  any 
debt  contracted  in  Louisiana. 

The  company  had,  in  payment  of  its  del)ts,  emitted 
a   consideral)le  .juantity   of  Ixmds,   called    "/>//A>A'  de 
c«/,w,''  which  had  gradually  bin-ome  part  of  the  cur- 
micy  of  the  country,   aii(i   which   were  in  daily  use. 
But  on  the  ir.th  of  Novemher,  (Jovernor  Perier  and 
the  commissary  of  mariiu^,  Salmon,  issued  an  ordinance 
which  declared  that,  considering  that  such  a  currency 
as  the  company's  Ix.nds  „r  /;///,V.v  ,/,.  rrf/.s'.,fi  int.M'fered 
with  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  king's  coin,  and  that  at 
the  sum.-  time  it  being  the  wish   „f  his  majesty,  that 
the  holders  of  these  bonds  should  huv,>  the'faculty  to 
pay  with  them  the  debts  contracted   while  they  were 
the  currency  of  th(>  country,  it  was  decreed  tliat  they 
might  still  be  used  duiing  ^ft(>en  days  from  tlu;  <late  of 
the  oi-dinanc(\  nfter  which  time  they  should   be   null 
and  void,  and  withdrawn  from  circulation.     A  fhie  of 
twenty  livres  was  to  l,e  inilicted,  for  the  first  ortense, 
on  any  person  convicted  of  having  dealt  in  these  bonds* 
as  currency,  after  the  time  speciHed,  and  corpor.-.l  pun- 
Jshment  was  to  be  the  ])enalty  for  a  second  violation  of 
the  ordmanc..  l>y  the  same  person.     The  effect  of  this 
measure  was  to  depreciate  these  Ixmds,  and  their  sud- 
den  withdra\val  from  the  money-market  produced  in 


♦  I 


I 


4()0  IJKKLKCTIONS  ON  THE  FALL  OF  THE  COMI'ANY, 


the  (MiiTcm'y  a  viicuum  wliicli  w.'ih  sonsibly  felt.  ITonce 
a  liiiiuu-iiil  crisis,  which  i^n-catly  adiUnl  to  the  ah'cady 
existiuii;  distress  of  the  colonists. 

Thus  did  the  India  (\)nij)any  ch^se  lier  career  after  a 
Ld)i)rions  exist(>nce  of  fourteen  years.     Sh(>  had  faih'd 
88  siuiially  as  her  [)redecessor,  C'rozat,  althoui^h,  liavinj^^ 
snju'rior  nutans,  she  liad  acconi|)lislu'd  moi'e  for  tlie  col- 
ony.    Shi^  had  founded  New  OrU'ans,  whicii  she  had  so 
named  in  coniphnient  to  hei-  ori-uj,  jtnti'on,  the  Duke  of 
OHeans,  Uei,^Mit  of  France,  and  she  had  niadt>  important, 
settlements  at  Natchez,  at  tlu^  Tchoupitoulas,  ('annes 
Brulees,   Baton   l\ou,<,^',  i\lanchac,  and    Pointe  ('oui)Oo. 
She   had  taken  liOuisiana  with   a  white  po|)ulation  of 
about  five  hundrt'd  soids  and  tweniy  ne,i;roes,  and  she 
left  her  with  a  })opulation  of  iive  thousand  whites  and 
about  two  thousand  live  hundrt-d  nci^n-ov's.     it  is  to  be 
renuMubered,  howevei-,  that,  for  the  last  ten  yeai's,  since 
17lM,  the  white  }H)pulation  had   remained  stationaiy; 
the  ne<>^roes  alone  had  iucreaseil,  their  nundier  havini^ 
swollen  tVom  about  six  hundred  to  over  two  thousand. 
The  fact  is,  that  the  tiiumcial  schemes  t)f  John  Law  had 
given  to  tlu^  colonization  of  Louisiana  by  a  company, 
an  impetus  which  was  destined  to  ceavse,  by  the  cona[)so 
ot'  the  bubbles  from  which  the  attem[)t  had  orii^iiuitcid. 
Unfortunately,   the  colonization   of  Li)uisiana  had   not 
been  a  yreat  national  entei-prise,  undertaken  l)y  patriot- 
ism and  carried  on  l)y  enlightened  statesnumship.     It 
Avas  a  stock-jobbing  ojxu'ation,  a  nu're  money-makiniij 
speculation,  a  !)ait  thrown  out  to  greedy  stockliolders, 
and,  like  most  speculations  of  this    kind,  it  eiuled  in 
ruin.     It  had  only  the  ]ioiu)r  of  being  a  sj)lendid  de- 
ception;  it  blazed  out  like  a  meteor,  but  to  be  soon 
swallowed  up  by  obscurity. 

The  king  having  agreed  to  take  on  his  own  account 
all  the  property  of  the  company  in  Louisiana,  an  inveu- 


THE  aUI'KlllOIl  OOUNOIL  UKOUGANIZKD. 


461 


.0, 
in 


tory  of  what,  it.  ])()SS(wstMl  wjim  mudc  iiiulcr  tlu^  dii'oction 
orSiilnioii,  tlic  kinL,f's  ('(imiiiissnry,  niul  tlui  cst'miati;  of 
wbiit  it  M'jis  foiuid  to  he  worth,  was  (ix(!(l  at  two  hun- 
(hvd  and  sixty-thi'cc^  thousand  livrcs,  This  |)i'o|)(u-ty 
consistod  of  sonic  nici'chandisc,  and  of  a  hrick  kihi  in 
front  of  the  city,  with  two  hundred  and  sixty  slaves, 
fourteen  hoi'ses,  and  eiu^ht  thousaiKJ  barrels  of  i-ici;.  The 
n(!<ijroos  wei-e  valiKul,  ou  an  avei\'i^'e,  at  seven  Innidred 
livres  a  |)iece,  the  hu-ses  at  lifty-s(!ven  livr(!s,  ai  i  the 
ric(5  at  tliree  livrivs  per  hundi-ed  pounds. 

Tii<^  Sup(!rior  ('ouneil  (»f  Louisiana  was  rtiori^ani/fMl 
])y  lotterH  i)atent  of  the  7th  of  May,  17.">2,  and  was  eoin- 
])oae(l  in  tlie  following,'  mannei': — (rov<!rnor  l*(M'i«u',  Sal- 
mon, the  kinjj^'s  eonunissary,  Louliois  and  D'Ai-taj^uette, 
liciit.<  iidiif.s  lie  roi^  or  the  kinL,'\s  lieutenant-j^ovei'iiors, 
Major  Px'nac,  eonunander  of  N(mv  Orhians,  b'a/ende, 
Jii'ush',  Hru,  Lafreniere,  Prat,  Ka^niet,  and  Kleuriau, 
wlio  had  heeii  reappointeil  attorney-ij^en(M"al,  It  will 
l)e  I'ttrnenilii'red  llial  he  had  lost  liis  olliee,  in  IYl'C),  foi" 
havini,^  resisted  the  iiuthoiity  of  l)e  laCJhaise,  tlu^  kin^^'s 
connnissary.  Kossurt  was  aj)])ointed  seen^tary  of  the 
council. 

In  order  tt^  revive  coinni(M-o(^,  which  liad  ))(!en  com- 
])l(!tcly  destroyeil  l»y  the  monopoly  conceded  to  (he  In- 
dia CJonipany,  tln^  kint,'  tenanted  several  privilei,q's  and 
advantaufes  to  sucii  of  his  su'ijects  as  would  send  vessels 
to  Louisiana.  Thus,  ])y  an  ordinance  of  Ww,  lllfh  of 
Septendx'i-,  he  exempted  from  dnty  tin;  inerchaiuliso 
exporter'  .iwin  !*' ranee  to  Louisiana,  and  the  ])roduce  of 
Louisiana  imported  into  Fiance. 

'J'liis  was,  at  last,  taking'  oik;  step  in  thy  ritj^ht  ])at]i, 
and  doinu;'  what  outjjht  to  luu'e  Keen  don(!  huiL'-  l)(;lore, 
Instead  of  allowing'  to  one  man,  or  oiu'  company,  in  vio- 
lation of  all  the  rules  of  common  sens(^  and  jus(ic(^,  a 
monopoly  whiidi  did  not  even   bcnetit  the  grantees. 


•"I 


462 


RETURN  OF  BIENVILLE  AS  GOVERNOR. 


But  as  soon  as  it  was  known  that  the  trade  with  Louis- 
iana was  open  to  competition,  the  merchants  of  St. 
Malo,  of  Bordeaux,  of  Marseilles,  and  of  the  Cap  Fran- 
9ais  began  to  make  j)re])arations  to  try  this  new  market. 
The  government  fixed  the  number  of  regulars,  to  be 
maintained  in  the  colony,  at  eight  hundred  men,  and, 
by  several  ordinances,  attempted  to  prevent  the  many 
fluctuations  to  which  the  metallic  currency  of  the  colony 
was  subject. 

Bienville  was  reappointed  governor  of  Louisiana,  in 
the  place  of  Perier,  who  was  subsequently  raised  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-general,  as  a  reward  for  his  services, 
and  his  brother,  Salverte,  shared  the  same  promotion. 
Perier  had  been  over  six  years  governor  of  the  colony, 
and  he  retired  with  the  reputation  of  a  man  of  integrity 
and  talent,  but  of  stern  disposition,  and  of  manners 
somewhat  bordei'ing  on  rouglrness.  There  was  at  the 
"bottom  of  his  character  a  fund  of  harshness,  of  which 
the  Indians  had  but  too  much  to  suffer,  and  which 
made  it-;elf  felt  even  to  his  French  subordinates. 

Bienville,  much  to  his  own  satisfaction  and  to  the 
gratification  of  the  colonists,  returned  to  Louisiana  in 
1733,  after  an  absence  of  eight  years.  The  surrender 
of  the  company's  charter,  the  resumption  of  the  admin- 
istration of  the  colony  by  the  king,  and  the  return  of 
Bien\ille,  were  circumstances  which  gladdened  their 
hearts,  and  inspired  them  with  high  hopes  of  approach- 
ing and  pei'manent  prosperity. 

On  the  18th  of  March,  an  ordinance  of  the  king  fixed 
the  pi'ice  at  which  the  farmers-general  in  France  were 
bound  to  receive  the  tobacco  from  Louisiana.  The 
rates  were: — 35  livres  per  hundred  pounds  for  1733; 
30  livres  for  1734  and  1735;  27  livres  for  1736  and 
1737;  and  25  livres  for  1738.  Thus  the  government 
reserved  to  itself  the  right  of  being  the  sole  purchaser 


SITUATION  OP  THE  COLONY. 


463 


of  the  tobacco  raised  in  Louisiana,  and  to  pay  no  more 
than  what  it  thought  proper  to  give,  whatever  might 
be  the  cost  of  producing  the  article,  and  its  intrinsic 
value  in  the  market,  Such  was  one  of  the  thousand 
absurdities  and  flagrant  injustices  of  the  suicidal  system 
applied  by  France  to  her  colonies !  The  Idasting  in- 
fluence which  it  had  on  Louisiana  can  be  easily  con- 
ceived ;  and  it  is  not  astonishing  that  Diron  d'Arta- 
guette,  who  had  gone  to  France  and  had  returned  in 
company  with  Bienville,  should  have  found  the  colony 
in  the  situation  which  he  thus  describes,  in  a  dispatch 
of  the  2:5d  of  April,  from  Mobile.  "I  have  found  on 
my  arrival  at  this  place,"  says  he,  "  two  contagious  dis- 
eases :  first,  the  small-pox,  M'hich  has  cari-ied  off  and  is 
still  killing,  every  day,  a  considerable  number  of  per- 
sons of  both  sexes  and  of  every  age ;  and  next,  a  gene- 
ral dearth  of  provisions,  from  Avhich  every  body  is  suf- 
fering, and  which  has  been  the  result  of  the  destruction 
of  the  late  crop  by  a  hurricane.  Our  planters  and  me- 
chanics here  are  dying  of  hunger,  and  those  at  New 
Orleans  are  in  no  better  situation.  Some  are  clamorous 
for  returning  to  France ;  others  secretly  run  away  to 
the  Spaniards  at  Pensacola.  The  colony  is  on  the  eve 
of  being  depopulated."  Such  was  the  situation  of  the 
colony  thirty -four  years  after  its  foundation,  in  a  coun- 
try blessed  with  such  fertility  as  Louisiana !  From  the 
very  first  days  of  its  existence  it  had  continued  to  strug- 
gle against  the  chilling  grasp  of  famine,  and  complaints 
of  starvation  had  been  wafted  across  the  ocean  by  every 
wind  which  blew  in  the  direction  of  the  mother  coun- 
try. Such  a  state  of  things  denotes  a  profound,  a  radi- 
cal vice  in  the  organization  and  administration  of  the 
colony.  Active,  indeed,  must  have  been  the  worm  con- 
cealed in  the  rcjots  of  the  tree,  which  had  been  trans- 
ported into  such  a  luxuriant  soil,  and  which,  instead  of 


i 


404 


ItlKNVn^LK  AND  HAl.MON'S  DISPATCH. 


i^rowiiiu:  to  its  iiutiii'iil  si/ii  aiul  to  maturity,  instciul  of 
('luhcllishini!;  and  ciii'ii'liini,^  tlic  ('(Hiutry  with  its  llt)\V(>rs 
and  fniits,  cotdd  hardly  i'<'i'<\  it^i  l)nny  tniiik  with  suiH- 
t'iciit  saj)  to  I'oiitiiuic  to  liv(^  in  sickly  vcnotation.  It 
i'«'(|\iii'c's,  however,  no  xcry  sai^acious  eye;  to  dist!ov(U' 
that  what  it  wanted  was  tlu^  atmosphere  of  Liberty, 
whieli  was  ])um])e(l  away  by  the  pneumatic  engine  of  a 
(li-spotie  and  indxH-ile  ii^overnment. 

On  the  li?th  of  l\lay,  liienvilU^  and  Salmon,  the  king's 
eommissai'y,sentto  France  a  joint  disj>atvh,  in  which  they 
informed  the  government,  that  tiie  colonists  wd'e  very 
dilatory  in  pi-oducing  their  tithes  of  conci'ssiim,  in  order 
to  lniv(^  them  conlun\ed,  as  reipiired  l»y  the  oi'dinance 
issued  on  the  'M)\\\  of  l)ecend)er,  iTL^I^and  they  recom- 
mended that  iuM\  titles  be  gi-anted  in  the  name  of  the 
kinu,  not  onlv  to  those  who  claimed  undei'  t-oncessions 
from  the  company,  but  also  to  those  whose  claims  rested 
on  nothing  else  Itnt  jiossession.  "Tlie  country  is  good," 
they  wi'«)te,  "but,  like  all  new  countries,  is  liable  to 
sudden  atnu>s])lierical  changes,  and  to  some  confusion 
of  seasons.  Besides,  the  colonists  lack  exiHM'ience,  and 
are  not  sulHciently  Avell  settled  on  their  plantations, 
Avhich  are  not  as  yet  properly  oi-gani/ed.  'I'lu'y  are  in 
want  of  n(>groes,  and  they  com|)lain  of  their  being 
ol)liged  to  pay  for  the  goods  they  need,  two  Imndred 
])er  cent,  abovi^  what  those  articles  cost  to  the  traders. 
They  also  com])lain  of  the  munber  of  useh'ss  vagabonds 
who  have  bet'u  sent  here  by  the  com])any.'"  S[)eaking 
of  tlie  rrsuline  nuns,  they  said  : — "They  are  very  in- 
dustrious and  disinterested ;  they  are  mucli  occupied, 
and  live  on  litth'.''  So  minute  were  the  details  which 
they  Avent  into,  that  they  informed  the  government 
that  the  first  chikl  born  in  the  colony,  and  conse<|uently 
^'thejird  Creoh'y'  vioa  named  Claude  Jousset,  and  waa 


BIENVILLE'S  VIKWS  ON  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


465 


the  Hon  of  a  (Jiinjuliiiii  who  ('{iiT'uid  on  a  .small  trading 
buHincsH  at  Mobih;. 

Fioni  a  long  disjiatch  whuth  Hicaivillo  wi'oti;  on  the 
ir)th  of  May,  on  tlu;  situation  and  disposition  in  which 
he  found  the  Indians,  it  seems  that  all  the  tribes  in 
Louisiana  w<!re  very  unich  disaffected,  not  exc«q)ting  even 
those  over  whom  St.  l)(;nis  exercisiid  so  nmch  influence. 
"Th(i  commander  of  the  fort  at  Natchitoches,"  said  he, 
infoi'ms  UH'.  that  tlu;  Indians  havc^  shown  an  inclina- 
tion to  i'(!b(!l,  and  have  compebed  him  to  keej)  himself 
shut  up  during  six  months,  and  that,  although  they 
show  themselves  more  peaceably  disposed,  yet  he  still 
keeps  himself  on  his  guard.  In  a  word,  it  seems  that 
the  colony  is  thi-eati^ned  on  every  side,  and  it  is,  in  fact, 
the  custom  of  tlu;  Indian  ti-ibes  to  become  hostile  in 
imitation  of  onc^  anothei-.  I  hoj)e,  however,  to  restore 
in  Louisiana  that  tran(|uillity  which  she  enjoycMl  when  I 
left  her  in  112^).  Since;  my  arrival,  the  Natchez  have 
attiimpted  nothing  against  tlu;  French  nor  against  their 
allies;  but  they  arc  not  destroyed,  although  we  are  ig- 
norant of  their  numoers.  The  Tunicas  have  assured 
nie  that  these  indefatigalth!  enemies  of  the  French  are 
divided  into  three;  baiuls:  one;,  the  least  mnnerous,  hsis 
ri;tii'i'd  into  an  inii)racti('al)]e  countiy,  a  little  above 
their  ancient  villages ;  the;  second,  which  is  more  con- 
siderable, dwells  on  the  l)anks  of  the  Mississippi,  near 
the  Ouatchitas,  and  opposite  the  Yazoo  River ;  the 
thii'd,  which  is  the  most  nuiiuious,  has  bisen  received 
among  the  Chickasaws,  who  have;  granted  to  these  refu- 
gees, lands  on  which  to  build  a  village.  1  shall  take 
care  that  they  be  constantly  attacked  and  harassed  by 
our  Lidian  allies." 

With  regard  to  the  Chickasaws,  he  wrote:  "Tf  wc 
can  not  gain  over  this  nation,  it  will  l)e  necessary  to 
drive  it  away  from  the  territory  of  the  colony."     True 


:HI( 


4G6 


HIRNVIT.LE'S  VIEWS  ON  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


iM 


P     •« 


•    i 


to  thU  polu'v,  \\c  indiu't'tl  tlu'  '  MlOl•tll\v^^  to  not  up  an 
expodltiou  aj,^:iinst  tlu-  (Miii-kasuus,  and  al'lvr  intoni"n.»- 
his  irovormiu'iit  of  this  t'lvi't,  in  t\  otmnnuiiii'iition  il 
the  LHUh  of  ,I\dy,  he  mlcK'd :  "It  would  hiivo  li  u 
prt>per  to  join  a  i)ody  of  Ftvnoh  troops  to  tho  ludia.s, 
ill  ordoi'  to  attack  tho  foi-ta  of  thu  (^hickasaws,  uid  to 
aohit'vo  sonic  ij^lorious  foat,  which  ia  an  indis|Hnsiil)lo 
thinix  to  restore  in  thi'  colony  that  healthy  tone  and 
self-reliance  which  it  has  lost.  Hut  \\v.  are  too  ])oor 
and  without  forces,  and  we  must  not  e.xpose  ()urs(dv(!^ 
to  fail  a  second  time  in  any  enterprise  of  the  kind.  'I'ho 
colony  is  in  such  a  state  of  indij^ence,  that,  liust  year,  tho 
people  were  oblijj^ed  durint;  more  than  three  months  to 
live  on  the  ivm/.s>  and  grain.s'  of  neds'.  Much  to  my  re- 
givt,  therefore,  I  am  condenuu^l  to  inaction,"  It  la 
hardly  ])ossil)le  to  conceive  how  the  country  could  havo 
been  reduced  to  such  a  pitch  of  misery,  and  such  rep- 
resentations can  not  hut  he  suspected  of  ofoss  exiiLri^era- 
tion.  'fht'  .'■neds'  and  <//■(( i/h's'  of  recd^;  of  which  IJieu* 
ville  speaks,  must  have  been  fiL>urativ(^  expressions. 

On  the  loth  of  Aui,nist,  Hienvilh>  informed  tht>  Frencli 
government,  that  the  Natchez  who  were  on  the  banks 
•of  the  Mi^N;ssip[)i,  and  who  comjiosed  the  two  bands  oC 
■which  it  has  been  s))oken,  wi>re  so  eU'ectually  harassed 
hy  incessant  attacks  from  the  Indians  In;  had  set  ui)oii 
them,  that  they  were  all  reti-eatint;  toward  tin;  Chick- 
asaws,  to  join  the  third  band  which  )iad  then!  i'ouud 
shelter  and  ])rotection. 

The  whole  year  X^i'.W  was  spent  in  fruitless  jiei^'otia- 
tions,  to  induce  the  Choctaws  to  make  a  seiious  attack 
upon  the  Chickasaws,  and  the  dispat(!hes  of  the  time 
fre(iuently  nu'ntion  a  ('hoctaw  chii^f,  callcMl  tlu!  Jied 
^/iO(\  who  acted  a  conspicuous  part  in  all  these  ti-ans- 
actions,  and  who,  it  seems,  Avas  constantly  oscillating 
between  the  French  and  tho  Enghsh,  playing  oil'  on© 


llfT 

h 


*j"- 


Ih 


FIUUTLEStl  EXPKli.ilON  A0A1N9T  TUR  OUIUKAHAWS.     407 

intoHNt  .Mu:Hiiis(,  tlic  oflicr,  scllliiji^  himself  to  tlio  liii^'liput 
bidder,  and  shulHiiiLr  '">'  t'lin.*  t.<>  his  Ix-st,  juh  antai^'e,  in 
.1  iiiiiuier  which  wonhl  hiive  dicil,  1  lu<  i|,p  ition 
of  M'l.-hiiivcl  himself. 

(rArtiii^iiette,  who  commimd.  I  uf  Mohile, 
titktit  leave  of  nienvilloto  miistei- one  lniiidr»'d  l<'reiicli- 
Jneii,  and,  with  tliem,  to  put  himself  iit  the  head  of  the 
('hocfaws,  to  mareh  against  the  Chiekasaws;  he  wim 
jjjreatly  indisposed  af  llien\  iih-'s  refusal  on  the  ^n-ouiid 
of  tht^  want  of  arms  and  pi-ovisions,  and  l»eeans(\  such 
forces  wei'(!  too  weak  lo  insure  success,  considei'ini;  also 
tiiat  the  disposition  of  th(!  Choctaws  was  doubtful,  and 
f'en'fore  ihatthey  mii^dit,  prove  traitors.  It  was  vainly 
l»  presented  to  DWrtari^niette  that  with  such  a  dell- 
ciency  of  means,  iic  would  endani^fer  his  I'epiitalion  and 
that  of  the  V  nch  arms,  lie  remained  cou\iiic<'d  that 
a  feeliu!^  of  jealousy  was  at.  the  bottom  ,,f  this  non-com* 
|)liaiu'e  with  his  demaiul.  This  conviction  was  in- 
creased when  he  saw  Lesueur,  at  the  head  of  thirty 
Frenchmen  and  one  thousand  (Mioctaws,  depart  to  wat^o 
war  upon  tin-  Ohickasaws.  Hut  Mienville  aiisweivd  hi:^ 
complaints  by  obseiviui^',  that,  if  this  e\p('dili()n  wtvi 
defeated,  it  would  briiiL,''  no  (lis(tr<'dit  or  shame  on  tho 
French,  as  there  were  so  very  few  of  them  eni^ai,'(Ml 
in  jt.  'J'he  Choctaws  had  obtained  considerabh;  pri^s- 
('ids  from  the  J^'rench  (o  march,  and  when  they  arrivetl 
ill  front  of  the  forts  of  the  Ohiekasaws,  bein;,'  bribed  olf 
by  those  they  canu!  to  attack,  they  marched  back  witli- 
out  striking' a  blow,  with  the  exception  of  .A'^y/ A'/zw^", 
who  showed  some  itonscience,  and  who,  having'  be(!ii 
paid  by  the  Frcinch  to  lli^dd,,  roHobed  to  ^ain  his  money. 
At  t,h(^  lutad  of  a  small  band  of  trusty  followers,  ho 
stealthily  approacluMl  oik;  of  tin;  viIlat^(!M,  and  p(»ure<l  a 
volley  of  bulhfts  jnt<»  the  i-abliis.  .But  Jk;  was  Immo 
diaUily  uttack(j(.l  by  foj-ccs  immensely  Huperior  tu  hiif 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


150     ^^ 

^  fas. 


1.4 


2.5 
2.2 

2.0 


1.8 


1.6 


v] 


<^ 


/2 


7 


^     #      ^         5»* 


>f^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


te 


z 


^ 


o 


"m 


468 


MISUNDERSTANDINGS  BETWEEN 


own,  and  closely  pursued  by  about  two  liundrod  men, 
the  distance  of  twenty  miles.  He  escaped,  however, 
after  having  lost  four  men,  among  whom  was  the 
brother  of  the  great  chief  of  the  Choctaws. 

On  hearing  of  the  unsuccessful  termination  of  this 
expedition,  Bienville  convened  a  mooting  of  tiie  Choc- 
taws at  Mobile,  and  upbraided  tliom  for  their  Avant  of 
faith.     They  all  apologizinl  in  huml>le  terms  for  their 
conduct,  with  the  exception  of  Red  Shoe,  who  spoke 
with  arrogance,  and  exalted  too  much  Avhat  he  had 
done.     Bienville  affected  to  bo  highly  displojii^ed  at  his 
presumption,  and  reprimanded  him  roughly.      How- 
ever, he  made  to  the  chief  some  prosonts,  Avlnch  were 
necessarily  small  on  account  of  the  penury  in  which  he 
was,  and  he  renewed  with  them  the  old  treaties  of  alli- 
ance.    The  conditions  on  which  merchandise  was  to  be 
furnished  to  the  Choctaws  were  agreed  upon,  and  they, 
in  their  turn,  solemnly  promised  to  hold  no  communi- 
cation with  the   English.     It  was  exceedingly  imj)or- 
tant  for  the  French  to  secure  the  suj^port  of  this  power- 
ful  tribe,  which    Bienville  n!j)reseuts  as  owning  fifty- 
two  large  villages,  scattered  over  a  cii-oumfcronce  of 
three  hundred  miles.     Hence,  Bienville  bitterly  mid  in- 
cessantly complained  of  not  being  sui)plied  with  suili- 
cient  means  to  command,  by  the  reciuired  presents,  the 
allegiance  of  these  Indians. 

Unfortunately  for  the  colony,  the  misunderstanding 
which  had  broken  out  between  Bienville  and  D'Ar- 
taguette,  became  every  day  more  nuirked  and  serious 
in  its  character.  They  wore  both,  however,  men  of  dis- 
tinguished merit,  and  ought  to  have  understood  and 
appreciated  each  other.  But  it  seemed,  as  for  the  past, 
that  harmony  could  never  exist  long  between  the  cliiefs 
of  the  colony.  Thus,  D'Artaguotte,  in  one  of  his  dis- 
patches, of  the  29th  of  April,  1735,  assures  his  govern- 


HIENVTLL^  AND  D'ARTAOUKTTR. 


469 


ment,  that  if  lUcnvillo  is  (liH{)lo!ise(l  with  ami  complains 
of  him,  it  is  ])C('au>^e  he,  I)'Arta<^uetto,  has  mad*^  known 
th(!  misconduct  of  Hicjnvillc's  protojj^os,  or  favorites, 
Lcsuciu'  and  tiuf  Jesuit,  Father  H(iji;idoin,  ?rA/>,  to  live 
<jn'(if  s'canddl  of  the  Hhoctawfi^  ^seduce  tlicir  tvonien. 

Bo  it  for  tliis  cause,  or  for  another,  it  is  cert.-iin  tliat, 
notwithstandinijj  the  treaty  of  alliance  which  had  ^wvn 
recently  rtaunved,  and  the  ])resents  tliey  liad  nnMUved, 
the  (yhoctawH  Avere  divided  into  two  factions,  one  of 
which  was  liostile  to  th(^  Fnmch,  and  tlie  otlusr  in  favor 
of  the  Knj^lish,  who,  foi'  many  years,  had  been  strug- 
gling to  ^ain  over  that  nation  to  their  intcirost,  and  to 
trade  with  it,  exclusively  of  the  K'rench, 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Chickasaws  and  the  Natchez, 
united  in  one  body,  wen^  not  inactive,  and  never  failed 
to  attack  the  Fn^ncli,  whenever  tin;  opportunity  w;i8 
favorable.  'Wv.  imagination  may  well  be  permittiMl  to 
conceive,  that  the  long'  sericis  of  misfortunes  heap(!d 
upon  the  Natchez,  had  produced  some;  Hannibal  of  the 
wilderness,  who  soui^dit  (!very  where  f:r  avengers  of  his 
nation's  wrongs,  and  who  thought  that 

"  What  tlidiiKli  i\\v  (icld  1)0  loHt, 
All  Ih  tiot  lust: — tli('  im<'(iM(ni('iul)l(!  will 
And  Htuily  (if  rcvcii)^'!',  iniiiKirdil  Imtt!, 
And  cduriiKu  iKwcr  to  miliiriit  or  yield, 
And  what  is  i'Ihc;  not  to  \w.  overcome."  Milton. 

De  Coulanges  had  been  orderf^d  up  the  river  to  carry 
ammunition  to  young  I)'Artagu(itt(^,  who  hud  so  dis- 
tinguislnui  himself  when  tlu;  Natch(!Z  wore  Ixjsieged  by 
Loubois,  and  who  had  since  been  intrusted  with  the 
command  of  the  Illinois  disti'ict,  Jle  had  the  im- 
prudence not  to  oljey  strictly  his  orders,  and  to  ti-ans- 
port  merchandise  belonging  to  some  officers,  instead  of 
a  considerable  quantity  of  powder,  which  he  left  behind 
to  make  room  for  the  other  ai'ticlo.     I)isaj)pointed  at 


,lj 

in  If 

i      -  . 

'k 


470 


THE  CHIOKASAWS  SUE  FOR  PEACR 


not  receivincf  the  ammunition  of  which  lie  stood  much 
in    need,  I TArtaguetto   dispatelied  in  quont  of   it  an 
officer,  named  l)u  Coder,  witli  ten  nu>n.     lictore  reach- 
ing tlie  Arkansas  district,  thiy  were   attackiul  by  two 
hundred  and   forty  Chickasaw  and  Natcliez  warriors, 
^ho  killed  eight  of  the  soldiei-s,  and  made  i)risonera' 
Du  Coder,  a  sergeant,  and  a  soldier.     Speaking  of  this 
tmtoward  event,  Bienville  said :  "  I  have  ordered  D'Ar- 
taguette  to  imprison  I)e  Coulanges  for  six  months,  in 
Foi-t  Chartres,  and  I  would  have  intei-dicted  this  offi- 
cer, if  1  luul  not  taken  into  consideration  his  past  ser- 
vices, particularly  in  the  last  Natchez  war.     I  hope  that 
this  example  will  be  sufficient  to  moderate  the  avidity 
for  gain,  which  some  of  our  officers  have  imbibed  in  the 
service  of  the  company." 

It  seems,  however,  that  the  Chickjusaws  had  become 
anxious  for  peace,  and  they  invited  I)u  Coder,  their 
prisoner,  to  write  to  th-.t  effect  to  lllenville:  they  also 
set  free  the  soldier  they  had  cai)ture(l.     He  soon  reach- 
ed  New  Orieans,    and    Informed    I^ionvilh.,    that   the 
Chickasaws  had  treated   kindly  theii-  white  prisonei-s, 
who  had  been  conducted  thi'ough  the  Indian  villa-ros 
with  a   white    stick   in   their   hands,   and  thoroinddy 
washed  in  public  from  head  to  foot,  as  a  token  oflifc 
being  granted  to  them.     Thi-ough  this   soldic.r,  ihoy 
again  sued   for   pe^ace,    and    l,(>ggc<l    to    be  })rotected 
against  the  marauding  attacks  of  the   Indian  allies  of 
the  French.     Bienville  wrote  l)ack  to  Du  C^oder,  to  try 
to  escape*  with  the  sergeant,  his  companion,  because  he 
could  not  grant  peace  to  the  Chickasaws,  and  eoul<l  'not 
mcrifice  tlm  glory  mid  intere.sts  of  the  French  iiation  to 
the  mfety  of  two  men.     Thus  it  is  evident  that  he  had 
taken  the  resolution,  to   come  to  no  terms  with  the 
Chickasaws,  and  to  drive  them  away  from  the  colony. 

•  Du  Coder  took  the  advice,  and  escaped  ahortly  after  with  his  companion. 


SJILTTAUY  rREPARATlONS  OF  THR  INOIANa. 


47t 


Bui  thouixh  lici  liatl  d(!t(M'miiiO(l  on  u  vvur  of  (^xtoriniiui- 
tioii,  lip  wiis  ol)lit2;('(l  to  ])oHt|)ono  nil  ojKM'ations,  uiid  Im 
wrot(^  to  thd   b'miicli  minister  of  Murine  :  "  I  In'tr  your 
exi'.clloiicy  not  to  forii^ct  that  I  cun   hardly  wt  on   foot 
two   huridrcd   men,   ami    that  I    can  n(»t   rely  on  tho 
IndianH,   who  liav>'  given   \m  so  many  proofs  of  tlieir 
cowardice  in  the  expc^ditions  1  have  induced  them  to 
undertake  ai^ainst  the  Ohickasaws.     1  dai'e  not  th(Mi, 
with   such  nieauH  as  I  have,  expose  the  lionoi'  of  our 
iirms  aijjainst  a  warlik<'  nation,  ninnherinti;',  at  hiast,  four 
liundred  and  {Ifty  wai'riors,     I  havi!  h^aruiul  from  the 
fiohlier  they  sent  nu^    hack,  that  they  luive  live;  ])ali- 
saih'd  forts,  and   besi(h'H,  for  «w(U'y  ten  <'al»iiis  in  their 
villasi^eM,  one  that  is  fortilled  with  tJir<u!  lines  or  rows  of 
stakes,  ]»rovid(Ml  with  loopholes,  and  terrac(ul  in  such  a 
way  as  to  be  lire-proof.     All  these  (  iiins  ar<^  ho  situ- 
ated, as   to  j)rotect   one  another.     Tho  Natchez,  who 
Btill  munher  on(!  hundred  and  eif^hty  warriors,  have  a 
vilhii^(>  of  their  own,  contif^^uous  to  those  of  tln^  (/hocv 
taws.      Ii(wides  tlu^  fortifi(\d  cal)ins  and  tin*  five  forts  I 
have  mention(Ml,  tho  (Uiickasaws  have  a  lari^ei- one  with 
four  bastions,  which   they  luivo  <'oiist.ru(tt(!d   with  the 
trunks  of  trei^s  stuck  into  tiie  ground,  in  imitation  of 
th(!  one  we  had  among   the   Natclie/  wln^n  t,h(!y  r(>,volt- 
ed.     Sucli  are  th(!  otfensivt!  and  (h'.lensive  mcians  of  our 
eneniii^s.     Il(;nc(^  you  can  judge  what  wo  can  (h>.    Wore 
I  to  march  against  them  with  tho  whoU)  colony  at  my 
lioels,  I  could  not  hoj»e  for  success,     lean  not th(!r(!fore 
undertake  any  thing  lightly.     I  (h)\nmu\^a(/am  (indfor- 
ener^  an  augmentation  of  four  (iompanies.     I   will  do 
however,  all   I   can,  to   continu(!  to  harass  the  Clhick- 
asaws,  with  incursi(mH  from  on?"  red  alliiis.     Hut  it  iH 
absolutely  necessary  that  some  bold   and  remarkable 
"blow  b<!  struck,  to  impress  the  Indiana  with  a  proper 
aense  of  respect  and  duty  toward  us." 


iii 


[■I 


47a 


ENGAGEMENT  WITH  A  SMUGGLING  VESSEL. 


At  that  time,  it  was  reported  tliat  the  Biitisli  faction 
among  the  Choctaws  had  gained  so  mucli  ground  jis  to 
prevail  upon  tliat  nation  to  make  war  upon  the  French, 
and  to  attack  M()])ile.     This  gave;  rise  to  gi-eat  ahirm  in 
that  settlement,  where  the  inhabitants,  under  the  ap- 
prehension of  immediate  danger,  never  went  out  of  their 
houses  without  Ix-ing  well  provided  with  arms,  (Hideven 
did  not  go  to  church  to  Jiear  ma.s\f  toithout  Iminng  their 
guns  on  their  shoMers,  as  stated  in  one  of  Bienville's 
dispatches.     So  intense  became  their  fears,  that  they 
prepared  to  abandon  the  place,  and  to  retire  to  New 
Orleans.     But  Bienville  sent  them  positive  ordei-s  not 
to  leave  their  habitations,  and  assured  them  that  they 
had  nothing  to  fear.     In  one  of  his  disi)atches,  he  ac- 
cused Diron  d'Artaguette    of  being  the  cause  of  the 
discontent  which  had  spread  among  the  Choctawa,  by 
ihe  harsh  manner  in  which  he  had  treated  some  war- 
riors of  that  nation  who  had  come  to  Mobile,  to  have 
their  arms  repaired  and  put  in  order. 

A  short  time  after,  on  the  IGth  of  July,  a  smugglino- 
vessel  from  Jamaica  appeared  in  Mo1)ile  Bay,  and  an- 
chored at  twelve  miles  from  the  foi-t.  D'i^.rtaguette 
ordered  her  to  leave  the  bay,  and  on  her  captain  delay- 
ing to  obey,  sent  Lieutenant  De  Velles  in  an  armed  boat 
with  thirty  men,  to  take  possession  of  the  vesrel,  v  pch 
had  a  very  inotfensive  look,  but  which,  uevertii.jess, 
opened  such  an  effective  fire  on  the  boat,  as  she  ap- 
proached, that  in  an  instant  Df;  Velles,  havino"  seven- 
teen of  his  men  killed  or  wounded,  was  ol^liged  to  re- 
treat, and  to  allow  his  enemy  to  gain  the  open  sea  with- 
out further  molestation.  This  circumstance  again  fur- 
nished ground  for  Bienville  to  tax  D'Artaguette  with 
gross  imprudence  and  carelessness.  In  fact,  a  fierce  war 
of  angry  accusations  and  recriminations  was  now  kept  up 
between  these  two  antagonists,  and  had  succeeded  the 


'\ 


DIFFICULTY  IN  SETTLING  THE  COMPANY'S  AFFAIRS.      473 


intimacy  which  had  existed  between  tliem  during  many 
years. 

The  settlement  of  the  company's  affairs  in  tlie  colony, 
proved  to  be  of  no  small  dill'u-ulty.  The  stoc^kholders 
comj)lained  that  the  just  debts  due  to  tlu;  company 
could  not  be  recoviu'ed,  because  the  debtors  wen^  fa- 
vored by  the  only  judicial  tribunal  in  the  country,  the 
memlu'rs  of  the  council,  who  themselves  were  indebted 
to  the  company.  Considei-ing  this  state  of  thini^s,  the 
king,  by  an  ordinance  of  the  IGth  of  October,  1 7. 'ili,  ap- 
pointed the  royal  commissary,  Salmon,  the  sole  judge 
to  pi'onounce  in  tlui  last  resort  between  th<^  com[)any 
and  its  debtors  or  creditors  in  Louisiana. 

Since  1723,  when  the  c<mi[)any  had  introduced  into 
the  colony  a  paper  currtuicy,  during  the  existence  of 
which  the  dollar  had  risen  in  value  to  35  livres,  a  bot- 
tle of  brandy  to  80  livres,  a  pair  of  shoes  to  35  livres 
of  that  paper  money,  and  so  on,  in  propoi'tion,  for  every 
other  merchandise,  a  vast  amount  of  debts  had  been 
contracted,  under  that  nu)netary  system,  between  the 
colonists  and  betw(!en  the  comj)any  and  individuals. 
Now  that  the  government  had  witluh'awn  from  circu- 
lation all  the  ])a])er  money  of  tlui  company,  by  r(!C(Mving 
it  in  j)ayment  of  goods,  delators  conten<led  that  their 
debts  ought  to  be  reduced  to  one  half,  considei'ing  that 
they  were  under  the  nec(;ssity  of  making  their  j)ay- 
ments  in  a  currency  much  more  valuable  than  the  one 
in  existence  when  they  had  contracted  their  obligations. 
Individuals  generally  submitted  to  transactions  of  this 
kind,  but  the  company,  which  was  much  more  of  a 
creditor  than  of  a  debtor,  refused  to  admit  the  justice 
and  application  of  this  rule.  Salmon  was  in  favor  of 
the  proposed  reduction,  but  hesitated  to  enforce  it,  and 
was  satisfied  with  nuiking  recommendations  to  com- 
promise.   Thus  matters  stood  for  some  time. 


474      THE  GOVERNMENT  PROPOSES  A  PAPER  CURRENCY. 

The  French  government  thou,i,']it  it  a  heavy  burden 
to  provide  for  the  expenses  of  tlio  colony  in  hard  coin, 
and,  in  1734,  consulted  Bienville  and  Salmon  on  the 
emission  of  paper  money  (pa])ier  de  cartes).     They 
were  opposed  to  it  altogether,  but  not  venturing  to 
express  the  opinion  that  it  ought  not  to  be  emitted  at 
all,  they  advised  that  the  measure  be  postponed  for 
two  years.     In  support  of  this  opinion,  they  described 
the  aversion  which  existed  in  the  colony  against  this 
kind  of  currency,  and  the  want  of  confidence   with 
which  it  would  be  received;   they  represented   that 
when  the  company  surrendered  its  charter,  its  paper 
was  depreciated  to  half  its  original  value,  and  that  such 
had  been  the  fate  of  every  paper  currency  in  the  colony 
since  its  foundation ;  that  it  would  dri^-e  away  the  pre- 
cious metals,  make  the  dollar,  as  it  had  been  seen  once, 
rise  up  to  35  livres,  and  open  the  door  again  to  the 
most  disastrous  stock-jobbing  operations,  and  to  the 
foulest  demoralization,  and  that  no  more  would  be  re- 
quired to  cause  the  desertion  and  total  ruin  of  the  coun- 
try.    "  We  have  seen,"  said  Bienville,  in  one  of  his  dis- 
patches, "  that  one  who  has  paper  money  in  his  pocket, 
will  spend  it  more  easily  than  hard  coin,  and  that,  when 
such  is  the  currency  of  the  country,  every  one  consumes 
all  he  earns  without  any  thought  of  to-morroiur     Bien- 
ville wrote  these  remarkable  lines  in  1734.     True  they 
were  at  that  time,  and  that  truth  was  still  more  ener- 
getically demonstrated  by  what  occurred  in  Louisiana 
a  century  later,  when  it  was  her  curse  to  be  overflooded 
with  a  deluge  of  bank  notes.     It  is  easy,  however,  to 
conceive  the   anxiety  which  the  government  felt,  in 
1734,  to  pay  its  expenses  in  paper,  when  it  is  known 
that  those  expenses  amounted,  during  that  year,  to 
898,245   livres  for  this  puny  colony  of  five  thousand 
souls. 


PLAGUES  OP  INUNDATION,  DROUGHT,  AND  MAD  DOGS.     475 


On  the  15th  of  April,  1735,  Bienville  wrote,  on  the 
state  of  the  colony :  "  One  hundred  thousand  pounds 
of  tobacco  are  made  at  Pointe  Coupee ;  two  women 
raise  silk-worms  for  amusement,  and  succeed  very  well ; 
eggs  should  be  sent  by  the  government  to  the  LTraulines, 
who  would  teach  this  industry  to  the  orphans  whose 
education  is  intrusted  to  them.  The  cultivation  of  cot- 
ton is  advantageous,  but  the  planters  experience  great 
difficulty  in  clearing  it  from  the  seeds.  Pitch  and  tar 
are  made  in  some  abundance.  I  neglect  nothing  to 
turn  the  attention  of  the  inhabitants  to  airricultural 
pursuits,  but  in  general  they  are  worthless,  lazy,  disso- 
lute, and  most  of  them  recoil  from  the  labors  necessary 
to  improve  the  lands."  To  those  inhabitants  who  were 
represented  as  lazy  and  dissolute,  the  year  1*735  was 
not  a  favorable  one,  for  Bienville  and  Salmon,  in  a 
joint  dispatch  of  the  31st  of  August,  say:  "The  mor- 
tality of  cattle  is  frightful,  the  drought  is  excessive,  and 
the  heat  is  suffocating.  Such  hot  weather  has  never 
been  known  since  the  foundation  of  the  colony,  and  it 
has  now  lasted  four  months  without  any  change.  From 
Christmas  to  the  St.  John,  the  waters  were  very  high,  so 
that  many  levees  were  broken.  The  one  which  is  in 
front  of  the  city  gave  way,  and  we  were  very  near 
abandoning  our  houses  and  taking  lodgings  in  boats. 
Then  the  drought  came,  and  the  river  went  down  fif- 
teen feet — a  circumstance  which  had  never  been  seen 
before.  Hence  the  mediocrity  of  our  crops,  our  lands 
having  been  under  water  in  the  planting  season." 

While  the  planters  were  suffering  from  drought,  after 
having  suffered  from  inundation,  the  inhabitants  of  New 
Orleans  were  laboring  under  a  strange  kind  of  infliction. 
They  could  hardly  venture  out  of  their  houses  without 
being  bit  by  mad  dogs.  These  animals  had  increased 
to  such  an  extent,  that  they  had  become  an  intolerable 


111 

ill 


|"j;V 


476 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  NEW  EXPEDITION 


nuisance,  and  to  remedy  the  evil,  the  royal  commissary, 
Salmon,  ordered  them  to  l)e  hunted  down  on  certain 
days,  from  five  o'clock  until  six  in  the  morning.  He 
also  prohibited  nci^roes  and  Indians  from  having  dogs, 
under  tlie  jienalty  for  tJie  oil'ender  of  being  sentenced 
to  wear  an  iron  collar. 

The  colony  had  always  undergone  great  inconveni- 
ence from  the  want  of  carj)enters,  cabinet-makers,  tail- 
ors, shoemakers,  and  mechanics  of  every  description. 
To  obviate  this  difficulty,  an  ordinance  wtis  issued  free- 
ing from  his  military  engagement  any  French  or  Swiss 
soldier,  if  he  was  a  handicraftsman,  provided  he  agreed 
to  remain  in  the  colony,  and  to  exercise  his  crdling. 

The  troops,  which  so  far  had  not  been  supplied  with 
suitable  quarters,  were,  this  year,  comfortably  lodged 
in  barracks,  which  Bienville  and  Salmon  had  ordered, 
on  the  V2t\i  of  July,  1784,  to  be  constructed  on  both 
sides  of  tlip  pul)lic  square  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

The  latter  part  of  173;"),  and  the  beginning  of  1736, 
were  marked  by  great  military  preparations  in  the  col- 
ony. The  French  government  had  sent  to  Bienville  a 
few  additional  troops,  and  notwithstanding  the  doubts 
he  had  expressed  on  the  final  success  of  an  expedition 
against  tlie  Chickfisaws,  excej)t  it  be  with  such  ample 
means  as  tlie  government  did  not  seem  disposed  to  grant, 
had  ordei'ed  him  to  undertake  one,  iis  soon  as  possible, 
against  that  nation,  and  to  drive  it  away  from  the 
country.  In  obedience  to  these  instructions,  Bienville 
had  sent  word  to  the  younger  D'Artaguette,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Illinois  district,  to  collect  all  the  French 
and  Indian  forces  he  could  control,  and  to  meet  him  on 
the  31st  of  March,  1736,  at  the  Chickasaw  villages.  In 
the  month  of  January  of  that  year,  Bienville  drew  from 
Natchez,  Natchitoches,  and  the  Balize  all  the  officers 
and  soldiers  he  could  muster,  without  weakening  too 


AGAINST  TlIK  CIIICKASAWS. 


477 


much  the  garrisoiiH  stationed  at  those  ])lac(^s.  lie 
formed  a  conipaiiy  of  vohiuteiii-H,  composed  of  traders 
and  transient  pei'sonsthcn  iu  NewOi-leans,  and  another 
company  of  unnianied  men  l)'3loni(ing  to  the  city,  and 
whicli  was  ca] U^d  the  comjxin;/  of  l)acJicl<>r.s:  A  d(!pot 
of  annnmiition,  provisions,  and  all  that  \va.s  necessary 
for  the  intended  camj)aign  was  established  on  the  Tom- 
bekbee,  at  the  distance  of  two  hundred  and  seventy 
miles  from  Mobile,  where  the  several  detachments  of 
the  army  were  successively  sent,  through  the  Lakes,  as 
fast  as  conveyances  could  Ije  j)rocur(!d.  Several  large 
vessels  containing  provisions  and  utensils  of  (;very  sort 
were  dispatched  down  the  Mississip|)i  to  Mobile,  and 
on  the  4th  of  Mardi,  Jii(!nville  de{)arted  from  ]^eyf 
Orleans,  leaving  behind  him  only  four  comjjanies  of 
regulars  under  Noyan,  which  were  to  follow  him  as 
soon  as  they  could  be  trans])orted.  The  boats  liaving 
to  struggle  against  adverse  winds,  the  whole  of  tlie 
French  forces  did  not  reach  Mobile  l)('fore  the  2'Jd,  and 
it  was  only  on  the  2<Sth,  that  the  last  of  the  vessels 
carrying  ])rovisi()ns  entered  the  harbor,  when  it  was 
discovered  that  her  cargo  had  been  much  damaged  l)y 
the  sea.  On  the  1st  of  April,  the  expedition  left  Mo- 
bile, and  it  was  only  on  the  23(1  that  the  army  reached 
the  Tond)ekbee  depot,  after  having  had  to  contend 
against  currents,  freshets,  storms,  and  constant  rains. 

There,  while  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  Choctaws, 
Bienville  reviewed  his  troops,  whicli  were  found  to  con- 
sist of  five  hundred  and  forty-four  Avhite  men,  exclud- 
ing the  officers,  and  of  forty-five  negroes,  commanded 
by  free  blacks,  the  balance  being  composed  of  Indians. 
The  principal  officers  were  De  Lery,  D'llauterive,  De 
Lusser,  De  Courtillas,  Petit,  Berthel,  De  Bourbelles, 
Benac,  Le  Blanc,  De  Membrcule,  De  Macarty,  De  St, 
Pierre,  De  Velles,  De  Bouille,  Des  Marets,  De  Contre 


(!v„ 


%,!i. 


:l^ 


478 


AUUIVAL  AT  THE  CHICKASAW  ViLLAOEa 


CaMir  do  St.  Protais,  T^ontnllui,  Viit»(l(.M-(>k,  Monthrun, 
and  Noyjui.  At  the  hciid  of  the  Swiss  fonipiuiies  were 
Voliint  and  Dw  Pare;  Montniolin  wjw  thoir  standard- 
Ix'ai'cr,  T\u'  dotachint'iits  of  the  niilitiu  were  com* 
inandcd  by  Lesiiciir  and  St.  Martin. 

Tlu!  (Ilioctaws,  to  tli(^  nunilKir  of  six  liundred,  having 
come  at  last,  tlio  anny,  after  innuniorable  delays  and 
diilicnlties,  resumed  its  march,  and  on  the  22d  of  May 
encamped  at  about  twenty-s(^ven  niiUvs  from  the  Chick- 
asaw villai^^es.     On  th«!  2ad,  at  daybreak,  Hienville  had 
a  certain   number  of  trees  cut  down  to  make  stakes, 
and  orcku-ed  tlie  construction  of  fortilications  for  tho 
protection  of  the  boats.     Leaving  in  those  fortificaticms 
the  general  store-keeper,  the  ca])tains  of  the  boats,  some 
sick  men,  and  twiiiity  sohliei-a  under  the  command  of 
Vanderek,  on  the  'J4th,  in  the  afternoon,  and  after  hav- 
ing onhn-ed  the  troops  to  take  ])i-ovisions  for  twelve 
days,  he  marched  six  miles  further,  where  he  encamped 
for  the   night,  which  was  very  tempestuous.     On  the 
2r)th,  within  the  space  of  twelve  miles,  the  army  had  to 
cross  successively  three  deep  ravines  running  through  a 
thick  cane-brake,  and  had  to  wade  throuirh  water  risinf* 
up  to  the  waist.     The  army  then  enKjrged  on  a  beauti- 
ful and  open  praii-ie,  on  tlie  edge  of  which  they  en- 
camped, at  the  distance  of  six  miles  from  the  villages. 

The  intention  of  Bienville  was  to  turn  round  those 
villages  of  the  Cliickasaws,  to  march  upon  the  village 
of  the  Natchez,  which  was  in  the  rear,  and  to  attack 
first  those  whom  he  considered  as  the  instigators  of  the 
Chickasaw  war.  But  the  Choctaws  insisted  with  such 
pertinacity  upon  attacking  the  villages  which  were 
nearer,  and  which,  they  said,  contained  more  provisions 
than  that  of  the  Natchez,  and  they  represented  with 
such  warmth,  that,  in  the  needy  condition  in  which  they 
were,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  they  should  take  pes- 


OPERATIONS  Btti^uRB  TUB  CHICKASAW  VILLAOER       47l> 


session  of  these  provisions,  that,  Hi<»nville  yielded  to 
their  importiinitifis.  'J'he  [)niiri(^,  in  whicli  tliest!  vil- 
hij^es  were  sitnated,  covered  a  space?  of  ahout  six  miles. 
The  villa£,'es  were  Hmall,  and  hnilt  in  the  shape  of  a  trl- 
angle,  on  a  hillock  Hloj)ing  down  to  a  hrook  whicli  wa^ 
alnioHt  dry ;  furthcir  off  was  tin;  main  hody  of  th<!  Chick- 
asaw  villages,  and  the  smaller  om^s  scsemed  to  })e  a  sort 
of  vanguard.  The  Choctaws  having  informed  Hien- 
ville  that  he  would  find  water  nowhen;  else,  he  on  hired 
the  army  to  fih;  off  close  to  the  wood  which  (mcloacid 
the  prairie,  in  order  to  reach  another  hillock  that  was 
in  sight.  There  the  tr()()i)s  haltc^d  to  r(!st  and  take 
Dourishmcnt.     It  wius  past  twelve  o'clock. 

The  Indian  scouts  whom  Bienville  had  sent  in  every 
direction  to  look  for  tidings  of  D'ArtagiKitte,  whom  ho 
had  expected  to  operate  his  jun(!t',v)n  with  him  on  this 
spot,  had  come  back  and  brought  no  information.  It 
was  (ivident,  thensfore,  that  he  couhl  no  longer  hope 
for  the  co-operation  on  which  he  had  relied,  and  that 
he  had  to  trust  oidy  to  his  own  resources.  It  was  im» 
possible  to  wait;  and  immediate;  action  was  insisted  upon 
by  the  (Jhoctaws  and  the  Fre^ncli  officers,  who  thought 
that  the  three  small  villages,  which  have  been  described, 
and  whi(!h  were  the  nesurest  to  them,  were  not  suscep- 
tible of  much  resistance.  Bienvilh;  yielded  to  the  soli- 
citations  of  his  allies  and  of  his  troops,  and  at  two  in 
the  afternoon,  orden^d  his  ne|)h3w  Noyan  to  begin  the 
attack,  and  to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  a  column  com* 
posed  of  a  company  of  grcinadiers,  of  detachments  of 
fifteen  men  taken  from  each  one  of  the  eight  companies 
of  French  regulai-s,  of  sixty-five  men  of  the  Swiss  troopa 
and  forty-five  volunteers. 

The  French  had  approached  within  carbine  shot  of 
the  forts,  and  at  that  distance,  could  plainly  distinguish 
Englishmen,  who  appeared  to  be  very  active  in  assist- 


480 


ATTACK  ON  THE  VILLAGE  OF  ACKIA,. 


lit 


ing  the  Cliickasaws  in  prepuriiig  their  defonsc,  and  who 
had  hoisted  uj)  their  flag  on  one  of  the  forts.  JJienville 
recommended  that  tliey  shouhi  not  l)e  assaih^d,  if  they 
thought  proj)er  to  retire,  and  in  order  to  give  them 
time,  slioukl  they  feel  so  disposed,  he  ordei'ed  to  con- 
fine tlie  attack  to  the  vilh'ige,  named  Ackia,  whicli  flag 
wjis  the  most  remote  from  the  one  under  the  Enghsh 

flag- 

The  order  for  the  attack  Leing  given,  the  division 

commanded  by  Noyan  moved  briskly  on,  and  under 
the  protection  of  mantelets  carried  l>y  the  company  of 
negroes,  arrived  safely  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which 
the  villafT'^s  stood.  But  there,  one  of  the  negroes  being 
killed,  and  another  wounded,  the  rest  flung  down  the 
mautelets,  and  took  to  their  heels.  The  French  pushed 
on,  and  penetrated  into  the  village,  with  the  company 
of  grenadiers  at  their  head.  But  ])eing  no  longer  un- 
der cover,  and  much  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  enemy, 
their  losses  Avere  very  heavy.  The  noble  and  brilliant 
Chevalier  de  Contre  Coour,  a  favorite  in  the  army,  was 
killed,  and  a  number  of  soldiers  shai-ed  his  fate,  or  were 
disabled.  However,  three  of  the  ])rincii)al  fortified 
cabins  were  carried  by  the  impetuosity  of  the  French, 
with  several  smaller  ones  which  were  burned,  lint  as 
a  pretty  considerable  intervening  space  remained  to  be 
gone  over,  to  assail  the  chief  fort  and  the  other  forti- 
fied cabins,  when  it  l)eeame  necessary  to  comjJete  the 
success  obtained,  Noyan,  who  had  headed  the  colunm 
of  attack,  turning  round,  saw  that  he  had  with  him  only 
the  oflicers  belonging  to  the  head  of  the  column,  some 
grenadiers,  and  a  dozen  of  volunteers.  The  troo])s  had 
been  dismayed  l)y  the  death  of  C/ai)tain  De  Lusser,  of 
one  of  the  sergeants  of  the  grenadiers,  and  of  some  of 
the  soldiers  of  this  company  who  had  fallen,  when  they 
had  attempted  to  cross  the  space  separating  the  last 


if  I 


HEROIC  EFFORTS  TO  SAVE  THE  LIFE  OF  QRONDEL.       481 

cabin  taken  from  the  next  to  be  taken ;   seekins,'  for 
shelter  against  the  galling  fire  of  the  enemy,  they  had 
clustered  behind  the  cabins  of  which  they  had  already 
taken  possession,  and  it  was  impossible  for  the  officers 
who  commanded  the  tail  of  the  colunm,  to  drive  them 
away,  either  by  threats,  promises,  or  words  of  exhorta- 
tion, from  their  secure  position.     Putting  themselves  at 
the  head  of  a  few  of  their  best  soldiers,  in  order  to  en- 
courage the  rest,  the  officers  resolved  to  make  a  des- 
perate attempt  to  storm  the  fortified  blockhouse  they 
had  in  front  of  them.     But  in  an  instant,  their  com- 
mander, the  Chevalier  de  Noyan,  D'llauterive,  the  cap- 
tain of  the  grenadiers,  Grondel,  lieutenant  of  the  Swiss, 
De  Velles,  Montbrun,  and  many  other  officers,  Avere  dis- 
abled.    Still  k(H"ping  his  ground,  De  Noyan  sent  his 
aid-de-camp,  De  Juzan,  to  encourage  and  bring  up  to 
him  the  wavering  soldiers,  who  had  slunk  behind  the 
cabins.     But,  in    making  the  effort,  this    officer  was 
killed,  and  his  death  increased  the  panic  of  the  trooi)s. 
Grondel,  who  had  fjillen  near  the  walls  of  the  enemy, 
had  been  altandoned,  and  a  })arty  of  Indians  was  pre- 
paring to  sally  out  to  scali)  him,  when  a  sergeant  of  the 
grenadiers,  ashamed  of  the  cowardice  which  had  left  an 
officer  in  this   perilous  and  defenseless  position,  took 
Avith  him  four  of  his  men,  and  rushed  to  the  rescue  of 
Grondel,  without  ])eing  intimidated  l)y  l)ullets  as  thick 
as  hail.     These  five  intrepid  ra(.'n  reached  in  safety  the 
spot  where  Grondel  hi}-,  and  they  were  in  the  act  of 
lifting  him  up  to  carry  him  away,  when  a  general  dis- 
charge from  the  fort  pi'ostrated  (ivery  one  of  them  dead 
by  the  side  of  him  they  had  come  to  saA-e.     But  this 
noble  deed  was  not  lost  ui)on  the  arm.y :  the  electrical 
stroke  had  been  given,  and  was  responded  to  by  the 
flashing  out  of  another  bright  spark  of  heroism,     A 
grenadier  named  Regnisse,  rather  inflamed  than  das- 

nii 


482 


THE  FRENCH  ARE  DEFEATED  IN  THE 


tardized  by  the  ff«te  of  his  companions,  dashed  out  of 
the  ranks  of  his  companj^,  ran  headlong  to  the  place 
where  Grondel  lay  weltering  in  his  blood,  from  the  five 
wounds  he  had  received,  took  him  on  his  athletic 
shoulders,  and  carried  him  away  in  triumph,  amid  the 
general  acclamations,  and  the  enthusiastic  bravos  of 
those  who  witnessed  the  feat.  To  the  astonishment  of 
all,  he  had  the  good  luck  to  pass  unscathed  through 
the  fire  which  was  poured  upon  him  by  the  enemy,  but 
the  inanimate  body  of  Grondel  which  he  was  transpoiir 
ing  received  a  sixth  wound.  So  generously  saved  from 
the  Indian  tomahawk,  this  officer  slowly  recovered,  and 
was  subsequently  raised  to  a  high  rank  in  the  French 
army. 

The  spectacle  then  presented  to  the  sig'it  was  truly 
of  an  exciting  character.  The  village  attacked  was  en- 
veloped in  a  thick  smoke,  through  which  might  be  seen 
to  emerge  occasionally,  a  body  of  soldiers  carrying  away 
some  of  their  wounded.  Inside  of  the  smoke,  conceal- 
^ed  behind  the  heavy  logs,  of  which  their  forts  and 
'cal)ins  were  made  up,  the  Indians,  firing  through  their 
loopholes,  were  uttering  such  appalling  whoops  and 
fihouts,  such  blood-freezing  shrieks  and  fiendish  yells, 
that  one  would  have  thought  that  thousands  of  demons 
were  rioting  in  one  of  their  favorite  haunts  in  Pande- 
monium. To  complete  the  illusion,  the  six  hundred 
Choctaws,  with  the  other  red  allies  of  the  French,  al- 
most in  a  state  of  nakedness,  and  painted  all  over  in 
the  most  frightful  colors,  as  they  do  when  they  go  to 
war,  to  make  themselves  more  hideously  terrific,  kept 
hovering  on  both  wings  of  the  French,  at  a  safe  distance 
from  the  balls  of  the  enemy,  while  they  fired  at  ran- 
dom into  the  vacant  air,  emulating  the  Chickasaws  in 
the  production  only  of  horrific  and  unearthly  sounds, 
gesticulating  wildly,  running  and  jumping,  as  if  they 


i 

J 


ATTACK  ON  ACSajL 


489 


were  delinous,  and  looking  like  maniac  devils  rathei- 
than  men.  One  could  have  imagined  that  they  were 
the  rabble  of  hell,  enraged  and  thrown  into  an  insm-rec- 
tion,  by  being  excluded  fro^  the  feast  prepared  for 
their  betters. 

Noyan,  seeing  at  last  that  he  was  exposing  himself 
and  his  bravest  companions  in  vain,  and  growing  faint 
ander  the  effects  of  his  wound,  ordered  a  retreat  from- 
the  open  field,  and  taking  shelter  in  one  of  the  cabins 
sent  word  to  Bienville,  that  he  had  lost  about  seventy 
men  of  whom  many  were  officei-s,  and  that  if  prompt 
relief  was  not  afJbrded,  no  officer  would  be  left  stand- 
ing on  his  feet,  as  they  would  all  have  to  share  the  fate: 
of  those  who  had  fallen  :  that  himself,  although,  from 
the  nature  of  his  wound,  in  want  of  immediate  assist 
ance,  would   not  venture  to  retire  from  the  field  of 
action,  because  he  feared  it  would  be  the  signal  of  a 
general  scattering  away. 

On  hearing  this    report,  and  on  seeing  the  French 
and  Swiss  troops  beginning  to  give  ground,  while  dem- 
onstrations  of  an  attack  on  their  flank  were  visible  in 
the  direction  of  the  great  Indian  villages,  which  were 
further  ofl  at  the  extremity  of  the  prairie,  Bienville  sent 
Beauchamp  with  a  reserve  of  eighty  men,  to  support 
the  troops  engaged,  and  to  bring  off  the  wounded  and 
the  dead.     Beauchamp  did  not  execute  his  orders  with- 
out losing  several  men.     One  of  his  officers,  by  the 
name  of  Favrot,  was  wounded;  and  when  Beauchamp 
reached   the   spot   where   the   contest   had   been  the 
fiercest,  and  which  might,  if  the  expression  be  allowed, 
be  called  the  heart  of  the  battle,  he  found  all  the  offi! 
cers  nobly  keeping  their  ground,  and  clustered  in  A< 
solid  mass,  retaining  possession  with  desperate  enerc.y 
of  the  foremost  cabin  they  had  gained,  nearest  to  thi 
fort  of  ih^  eaeiajr.    Beaucliamp  gathered  together  aUi. 


1}  !  I 


•  ;  1     :!■ 


484 


DESORIPTION  OP  THE  SCENE 


the  men  who  still  remained  on  that  bloody  field,  and 
retreated  in  good  order  toward  the  French  camp,  but  he 
could  not  prevent  some  of  the  dead  bodies  from  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  who,  much  to  the  horror 
of  the  French,  impaled  the  naked  corpses  on  their  pal- 
isades. The  Choctaws  who,  so  far,  had  kept  aside  and 
left  the  French  to  shift  for  themselves,  seeing  them  in 
full  retreat,  seemed  disposed,  out  of  bravado,  to  show 
to  the  white  faces,  t'aat  the  red  ones  could  do  what  the 
superior  race  had  failed  to  execute,  and  they  marched 
upon  the  village  as  if  determined  to  storm  it.  But  as 
they  approached,  a  general  discharge  from  the  enemy 
having  brouglit  down  twenty-two  of  their  men,  they 
did  not  wait  for  another,  and  scampered  away  like 
whipped  curs,  much  to  the  satisfaction  and  amusement 
of  the  French. 

This  engagement,  which  had  begun  at  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  had  lasted  three  hours.  It  had  ceased 
for  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half,  when,  on  looking 
down  on  the  lovely  scene  which  then  presented  itself  to 
the  eye,  one  would  have  been  struck  with  the  contrast 
which  it  had  offered  not  long  before.  To  the  well- 
known  excitement,  noise,  turmoil,  confusion,  and  inci- 
dents of  a  battle,  had  succeeded  the  most  complete  re- 
pose d  the  most  absolute  silence.  The  sun  had  gone 
down  to  rest  behind  the  distant  trees  of  the  western 
horizon,  and  that  portion  of  the  sky  through  which  he 
had  lately  trod,  had  remained  gorgeously  illuminated 
by  the  lingering  rays  which  the  eastern  monarch  had 
left  behind  him  when  he  had  disappeared.  The  richly 
dyed  and  variegated  clouds,  wliich  rose  up  in  a  pyramid 
of  splendor,  looked  as  if  they  were  the  purple  mantle 
and  the  other  vestments  which  ho  hud  carelessly  drop- 
ped from  his  shoulders  when  he  had  sought  his  repose, 
A  sweet  breeze  was  sighing  and  gently  sweeping  across 


AFTER  THE  BATTLR 


485 


the  prairie  as  if  lulling  tired  nature  to  sleep.     In  the 
distance,  the  villages  of  the  Chicktusaws  produced  rather 
a  picturesque  (iffect,  and  w(ire  for  the  eye  an  agreeable 
resting-point  in  the  landscape.     Not  a  sound  was  to  be 
heard  coming  from  that  direction.     The  Indians  seemed 
to  have  dropi)ed  asleoj)  in  the  lap  of  victory,  under  the 
protection  of  the   pi-oud   banner  of   England,  which 
floated  over  their  heads.     There  was    luit   one  spot 
where  a  hollow  niiiiinuring  sound  might  have  been  no- 
ticed.    It  wjis  in  the  French  camp,  HitnnM  on  the  .at- 
skirts  of  the  prairie,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sma\('r  In- 
dian villages,  which  the  French  had  met  on  entiiring  it, 
and  which  seemed  to  stand  sentries  for  th<i  main  body 
of  the  larger  villages.     Encouraged  by  the  silence  which 
had  been  ndgning  for  two  hours,  herds  of  deer  were  to 
be  seen  gracefully  stealing  away  through  the  prairie, 
and  its  feathered  tenants,  such  as  partridges,  wood- 
cocks, and  other  birds  were  heard  uttering,  in  their 
usual  notes,  their  last  farewell  to  the  departing  light  of 
day,  while  seeking  their  downy  nests  in  the  perfumf^d 
grass  enameled  with  myriads  of  wild  flowei-s.      The 
cattle  of  the  Indians,  which,  frightened  by  the  mus- 
ketry and  the  shouts  of  the  combatants,  had  fled  into 
the  neighboring  woods,  had  returned  to  the  i)rairie,  and 
were  seen  browsing  far  and  wide  over  that  broad  ex- 
panse of  pasture.     Invited  by  silence  and  solitude,  a 
troof)  of  horses,    headed  by  a  Ix-autiful  white  mare, 
which  seemed  their  queen,  came  husnrely  on,  to  drink 
at  the  brook  running  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  on  which 
stood  the  Indian  villages.     A  soft  glow  hung  over  the 
prairie,  and  it  looked  like  a  beautiful  picture,  of  which 
the  dark  foliaged  woods  far  off  were  the  appropriate 
frame. 

Not  unmindful  of  the  attractions  of  this  truly  south- 
ern scenery  of  the  North  American  continent,  and  ro- 


*■.  'til 


h      ( 


:: '  !lt| 


■Ul 


486 


DARING  FEAT  OF  SIMON  THE  FREE  BLACK. 


fjosing  under  the  broad  canopy  of  a  gigantic  oak  which 
^tood  a  little  in  front  of  the  French  camp,  a  large  group 
of  officers  were  discussing  the  events  of  the  day.  With 
ihem  was  Simon,  a  free  black,  the  commander  of  the 
(Company  of  negroes,  who  had  thrown  down  the  mante- 
lets they  were  carrying  to  protect  the  French  in  their 
(attempt  to  storm  the  village  of  Ackia.  Simon,  when 
bis  men  had  fled,  had  stood  his  ground,  and  had  re- 
mained with  the  French  <  fficers  at  the  spot  the  most 
jexposed,  until  the  retrea^;  was  sounded.  He  was  a  sort 
X)f  privileged  character,  and  he  was  sorely  vexed  at  the 
cowardice  displayed  by  those  of  his  color.  The  French 
officers,  who  were  amused  at  his  chagrin,  and  at  the 
comical  expressions  in  which  it  was  vented,  kept  ban- 
tering him  without  mercy  on  his  light-footed  compan- 
ions. Stung  to  the  heart,  Simon  exclaimed :  "  A  negro 
is  as  brave  as  any  body,  and  I  will  show  it  to  you." 
Seizing  a  rope  which  was  dangling  from  one  of  the 
tents,  he  rushed  headlong  toward  the  horses  which 
were  quietly  slaking  their  thirst  under  the  protection 
of  the  muskets  of  the  Indian  villages.  To  reach  the 
white  mare,  to  jump  on  her  back  with  the  agility  of  a 
tiger,  and  to  twist  round  her  head  and  mouth  the  rope 
with  which  to  control  and  rein  her,  was  the  affair  of  an 
instant.  But  that  instant  was  enough  for  the  appa- 
rently sleeping  village  to  show  itself  wide  awake,  and 
that  dark  mass  was  seen  as  if  spontaneously  girding  it- 
self with  a  zone  of  fire,  so  rapid  and  thick  were  the 
flashes  from  its  innumerable  loopholes.  But  away 
dashed  Simon  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning ;  frantic 
with  affright,  madly  reared  and  plunged  the  conquered 
mare  under  the  strong  hand  of  Simon,  who  forced  her 
to  take  the  direction  of  the  French  camp,  where  he  ar. 
rived  safely  amid  the  cheering  acclamations  of  the 
taroops,  and  without  having  received  a  scratch  from  thd 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  INDIAN  FORTIFICATIONS. 


487 


balls  of  the  enemy.  This  noble  feat  silenced  at  once 
the  jests  of  which  Simon  thought  himself  the  victim. 

The  modest  abnegation  of  the  brave  grenadier,  R^g- 
nisse,  who  had  so  heroically  saved  Grondel,  must  not 
be  omitted  to  be  recorded  also.  When  the  battle  was 
over,  Bienville  wanted  to  make  him  an  officer  on  the 
spot,  but  Regnisse  obstinately  refused,  saying  that  he 
did  not  know  how  to  write,  and  that  having  no  educa- 
tion, he  was  not  worthy  of  the  grade  offered  to  him, 
and  that  every  one  of  his  brother  grenadiers  being  ca- 
pable of  doing  what  he  had  done,  he  did  not  deserve 
and  did  not  wish  to  be  elevated  above  them ;  his  scru- 
ples could  not  be  overcome,  but  his  comrades,  joyfully 
admitting  his  superiority,  insisted  upon  his  name  being 
put  at  the  top  of  the  roll  of  the  company,  and  upon  his 
taking  the  lead  of  them  when  under  arras.  On  that 
day,  he  received  from  his  companions  the  title  of  "  the 
Jirst  of  the  grenadier's.^'' 

The  prairie  on  which  these  events  took  place,  was 
called  "  Strawberry  Plaiii^''  on  account  of  the  quantity 
of  the  fruit  of  this  name  with  which  it  was  covered, 
and  the  battle  was  called  "  the  Battle  of  AcUa^^'  from 
the  name  of  the  village  attacked. 

After  the  severe  repulse  \A'hieh  the  French  had  met 
with,  nothing  remained  for  them  to  do  but  to  retreat. 
Writing  on  the  causes  of  the  failure  of  this  expedition, 
and  on  the  reasons  which  induced  him  not  to  renew 
the  attack,  Bienville  said: — "What  remains  to  add 
to  the  previous  information  given  by  me,  with  regard 
to  the  fortifications  which  the  Indians  know  how  to 
make,  is  that,  after  having  surrounded  their  cabins 
with  several  rows  of  thick  and  large  stakes,  they  dig 
the  ground  inside,  and  bury  themselves  up  to  the  pit 
of  their  arms,  which  they  keep  free  to  fire  through 
loopholes  cut  almost  even  with  the  ground.    But  they 


I       I  ■ 

i  Hi 


488 


RETREAT  OF  THE 


1. 


obtain  more  julvjintagc^H  fVoiii  tlio  natural  situation  of 
tluur  cabins,  whii-h  ar«^  at  a  distanco  tVoiii  oiu;  anothor, 
and  aro  so  locatiul  jls  to  .iross  tlioir  firoH,  than  from  «:.y 
tiling   which    Eiiirlish    art   can    toach    to    inak(!    thcin 
stron^i^'cr.     Tho  covcMiuu:  of  th((S(^  cabins  is  a  thii^k  roof 
of  mud  and  wood,  wliich  is  proof  ajj^ainst  firebrands  or 
arrows  and  «jfrcnadcs,  so  tliat  thoy  couhl  bo  ixnuitruted 
tlirougli  only  by  bond)s.     Hut  wo  had  n(!ithcr  crannon 
nor  mortars.     After  all,  wlu^n  I  saw  tho  nundxtr  of  our 
wounded,  I  did  not  doubt  but  that  I  was  ol>li<rod  to 
give  up  the  game,  on  account  of  the  difliculty  which  I 
foresaw  of  transporting  them,     in  i'act,  I  had  no  choice, 
because  1  feared  to  be  deserted  by  tlio  Clioctaws,  who 
were  famished,     in  that  case,  we  should  have  bcien  har- 
assed in  the  woods,  and  attacktui  when  crossing  tho 
raviiu's;  our  loss  then  might  have  been  very  great. 
What  justiHod  my  fears,  is,  that  I  was  obliged  to  divide 
with  the  Choctaws  our  ])rovisions,  to  induce  them  to 
come  with  us." 

On  the  27th  of  May,  the  da)  following  that  of  the 
battle,  liienville  had  litters  made  to  transport  the 
wounded ;  and  at  one  in  tho  afternoon,  the  army  form- 
ing itseli'  into  two  coiumns,  which  had  been  tho  order 
of  marching  in  coming,  b(>gan  its  retrogi-ade  mov(Mnent. 
The  soldiers,  who  were  very  nuich  worn  out  by  the 
fatigues  they  had  uiuleigone,  and  whose  baggage  was 
already  a  full  load,  had  inlinite  pains  in  carrying  on  the 
wounded,  and  it  was  dark  when  the  army  had  gone 
four  miles  and  a  half  tlirougli  the  woods.  It  having 
become  necessary  to  encamp  for  the  night,  such  slow 
marching  disgusted  the  Clioctaws ;  and  Red  Shoe,  who 
nourished  an  old  grudge  against  tlie  French,  with  a  fe^r 
others,  endeavored  to  prevail  upon  their  people  to 
abandon  their  white  allies.  In  order  to  counteract 
their  intrigues,  Bienville  sent  for  the  great  chief  of  thd 


FIIKNOH  AllMV. 


489 


CluH'iiiwM,  juid  oxpoHiuliitlii^  witli  liiiti,  Lcfijf^cd  liini  to 
rocollct't  tliut  it  was  to  plciisc!  tho  (HioctiiwH  tliat  ho 
liiul  Jilt:u'kiHl  tin'  CliickusHWS,  iiiHtcad  of  ^<»iiif^  I'oimd 
tluiir  villiif^TS  t(»ussail  tlu^  Niit-clid/,  as  whh  liis  original 
int('nti(»ii,  and  tliiit  tlic  (■li<K'tuws  wcr*^,  tlu'i-tilorc,  tlw 
cuuM(!,s  of  tlio  d(if((at  of  iUv.  I^'rcncli,  whom  th(!y  ouj^ht  to 
doHort  nnu'h  hiss  uncUu'  Huch  cii'diinistuiXMis  than  under 
any  olh(!r.  Tho  ohxincncc  of  liionvilhi  touched  the 
great  ehief,  who  oich^red  lv<'(l  Slioci  to  (hwist  from  \m 
(K'signs.  A  violent  altcu-eation  ai'ose  ))etw<'en  thenj, 
and  the  gniat  elii<!f,  drawing  a  |)ist()l  froiri  lii.s  hcilt,  was 
iu  the  act  of  liring  at  llcA  Shoe,  wlien  liis  arm  wjia 
arrestiul  hy  Hieuviih;.  At  hist,  all  dillicidtie.s  wen;  wst- 
tled,  and  it  was  agrciiid  that  every  Indian  ehief  wouhl 
have  one  wound(ul  l*'renchman  earriifd  by  his  men. 
Alibamon  JVI<'ngo,  the  ehi(^f  who  liad  hecfii  so  usc^ful  to 
tho  Kreneli  whcMi  they  besieged  tlie  Natclm/,  and  whoso 
interf(M'ence  liad  induced  the  enemy  to  coriK!  to  terms, 
gave  the  examphi,  and  had  lii('nvill(!'s  luiphew,  N(»yan, 
carried  by  liis  p(H)j)h3.  On  th(!  2'.tth,  the  l^'ri'iK^h  reached 
the  phice  when;  they  had  hift  theii-  boats,  aftcir  having 
lost  on  tlio  way  two  men,  wlio  died  of  their  wounds. 

Th(^  Frencli  found  the  I'ivcu"  falling  so  fast,  that  tlmy 
luistened  to  (;nd)ark  on  that  same  day,  and  so  low  al- 
ready was  the  wat(U',  that  it  Ix'canu;  haid  woi-k  iu 
Hev(!ral  places  to  push  the  boats  thi'ough.  From  this 
circumstanc(!,  Hi(!nville  had  causi;  to  congi'atulatt!  liim- 
self  on  the  resolution  he  had  taken  to  retreat,  it  being 
evident  that,  a  few  days  later,  he  would  have  been 
obliged  to  set  fire  to  his  boats,  and  to  r<;turn  })y  land, 
which  would  hav(!  been  attended  with  immense  diffi* 
culties  and  dangers.  •  • 

Tlie  French  arrivcid  at  the  Tombechee  settlement  on 
the  2d  of  June,  and  the  wounded  were  imniediatcily  sent 
forward  with  all  the  surgeons.    On  thy  iJd,  iiieuville 


t.„fi 


490 


BIKNVILLE'S  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  TROOPS. 


Iff. 


1> 

if 


M 


MMmm 


departed  from  Tom1)ec'l)oe,  wliere  ho  left  (Captain  Dd 
Berthel  in  coimnaiul,  with  a  jjanisoii  of  thirty  French- 
inen  and  twenty  Swiss.  They  wen^  supplied  with  ])ro- 
visions  to  last  for  the  l)alaiu'(!  of  the  year,  and  with  nier- 
chandise  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  Hienville  di'ew  the 
plan  of  the  fortifieations  which  he  wished  to  he  made, 
and  he  instructed  Herthel  to  have  them  erected  as  soon 
as  possible  on  the  spot  he  had  desipiated. 

On  his  return  to  New  Orh^ans,  liienville  wrote  to  the 
minister  of  the  colonial  de])artinent :  "  Your  excellency 
will  have  seen  by  the  accounts  of  this  laborious  cam- 
paign, which  I   liav(!  transmitted  to  the  govenmient, 
that  in  its  conception  and  e.xecution,  and  in  the  closing 
retreat,  I  made  the  best  use  I  could  of  the  mr;.u6  i  had 
at  my  disposal,  and  you  will  also  have  remarked  that, 
after  having  suifered  in  my  preparations  from  delays 
which  I  could  not  anticipate,  much  less  could  I  foresee 
the  cowardice  of  the  troops  put  under  my  orders.     It 
is  true  that,  considering  the  pitiful  recruits  of  black- 
guards which  are  sent  here,  one  ought  never  to  enter- 
tain the  flattering  hope  of  making  soldiers  of  them. 
What  is  worse,  is  the  obligation  under  which   I   ara 
with  such  troops,  to  hazard  the  reputation  of  the  nation, 
and  tc  expose  our  officers  to  the  necessity  of  meeting 
death  or  dishonor.     The  recruits  recently  arrived  hy 
the  Gironde  are  still  inferior  to  the  preceding  ones. 
There  are  but  one  or  two  men  among  them  whose  size 
is  al)ove  five  feet ;  as  to  the  rest,  they  are  under  four 
feet  ten  inches.     With  regard  to  theii-  moral  character, 
it  is  sufficient  to  state  that,  out  of  fifty-two  who  have 
lately  been  sent  here,  more  than  one  half  have  already 
been  whip})ed  for  larceny.     In  a  word,  these  useless 
beings  are  not  worth  the  food  bestowed  upon  them : 
they  are  burdens  to  the  colony,  and  from  them  no  effi- 
deat  military  service  is  to  be  expected." 


AOOOUNT  OF  D'AllTAOnRTTFrs  EXPRniTTOIf. 


491 


Tt  Wfw  only  at  N(;w  Orleans  that  Bienville  leaiTied 
that  D'Artaguette  liad  arrived  Ix-t'ore  him  at  the  (Chick- 
asaw villages,  and  had  met  vi'ith  a  signal  (icfeat  and 
a  tragical  death.  In  conformity  with  the  iiistnu  tions 
he  had  received,  IVArtagnette  had  dis])layed  (•()nside^ 
able  activity,  and  had  r(^ach(Ml,  on  the  4th  of  Manrh,  a 
place  then  called  KiHmii^  A  J'rud/fomme,  on  the  MiaHis- 
sippi,  with  thirty  solditn-s,  one  hundred  volunteei-s,  and 
almost  all  the  Indians  of  th(!  Kaskaskia  village.  There 
he  was  joined  by  T)e  Vincennes  with  forty  Inxpiois,  and 
all  the  Indians  oftlK;  Wabash  tribe.  De  Montcherval, 
with  the  Cahokias  and  the  Mitchiganiias,  was  (hiily 
expected.  l)e  rJrandpr(»,  who  commanded  at  the  Ar- 
kansas, had  disj)atclied  twenty-eight  warriors  of  that 
tribe  to  ascertain  wlu^ther  IVArtagnette  was  at  the 
JiJcore-9  A  J^nidluyrnme^  and  to  come  back  to  him  with 
that  information.  These  Indians,  when  th«iy  reached 
the  spot,  finding  that  D'Artaguette  was  moving  away, 
followed  him,  and  disregarded  the  instructions  of  (rrand- 
pr6,  who  in  vain  waittul  for  their  njtnrn.  D'Artaguette 
proceeded  by  small  stages,  in  order  to  give  time  to 
Montcherval  and  (Iraiidj)re  to  join  him.  Wl  en  he  ar- 
rived on  the  territory  of  the  (Ihickasaws,  he  sent  scouts 
to  discover  tidings  of  IVu^nville's  army.  These  scouts 
soon  returned,  and  rep(M-ted  that,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  C'hickasaw  village's,  there  were  no  vestiges  of  the 
French  forces. 

On  the  day  following  the  return  of  these  spies,  a 
courier  brought  to  D'Artaguette  a  letter,  in  which  he 
was  informed  tiiat  unexpected  delays  and  obstacles  in 
the  preparations  to  be  made,  would  prevent  Bienville 
from  being  at  the  Chickasawa  before  the  end  of  April, 
which  would  be  the  soonest,  wherefore  he  was  recpiested 
to  take  his  measures  accordingly.  On  the  reception  of 
this   letter,  D'Artaguette  convened  a  council  of  war. 


492        D'ARTAGUETTE  DEFEATED  BY  THE  CHICKASAW3. 

composed  of  officei-s  and  of  Indian  chiefs.     The  Indians 
were  for  an  immediate  attack,  representing  that  they 
had  but  few  provisions,  and  therefore  would  be  obliged 
to  abandon  the  French  in  a  short  time ;  that  their  spies 
had  reported  that,  at  the  extremity  of  the  j)rairie  where 
the  Chickasaw  villages  wei-e  situated,  there  was  an  iso- 
lated one,  (probably  the  village  of  the  Natche;^  refugees) 
which  had  no  more  than  thirty  cabins,  of  which,  no 
doubt,  easy  possession  cnild  be  taken,  and  that  the 
provisions  they  would  find  there  would  enable   the 
whole  army  to  wait  ctmfortably  for  the  arrival  of 
Bienville,  under  the  protection  of  fortifications,  which 
would  soon  be   erected.     Almost  all   of  the   French 
ofScei-s  were  of  the  same  opinion,  and  the  attack  was 
resolved  upon.     At  that  moment,  the  allied  forces  were 
composed  of  one  hundred  and  tliirty  Frenchmen  and  of 
three  hundred  and  sixty-six  Indians. 

Having  taken  the  determination  to  attack,  the  French 
marched  on  briskly,  and  came,  without  being  discov- 
ered, as  they  thought,  within  the  distance  of  a  mile  from 
the  isolated  village,  on  Palm  Sunday.     Leaving  all  his 
baggage  to  the  keeping  of  thirty  men,  commanded  by 
Frontigny,  D'Artaguette  marched  on  the  village,  which 
he  attacked  with  great  vigor.     But  hardly  had  the  en- 
gagement begun,  when  four  or  five  hundred  Indians, 
who  were  headed  by  about  thirty  Englishmen,  and  who 
had  kept  themselves  concealed  behind  a  neighboring 
hill,  fell  upon  the  assailants  with  such  impetuosity,  and 
so  unexpectedly,  that  the  Miamis  and  the  Illinoi,^  took 
to  flight.     Thirty-eight  Iroquois,  and  the  twenty-eight 
Arkansas    sent  by  Grandpre,  were  the   only  Indians 
that  stood  by  the  French,  who  fought  with  desnerate 
valor  against  the  overwhelming  odds  they  had  to  con- 
tend w;f  u.     Lieutenant  St.  Ange  was  the  first  to  fall, 
then  11.5   .  rifi^iis  De  Coulanges,  De  la   Graviere,  and 


i 


HIS  MELANCHOLY  FATK. 


493 


De 


Courtigny,  with  six  of  the  militia  offiwir,.     Still  the 
hemmed  in  on  rvery  side,  did  not  j,'ive  way  an 


enc 


inch.      ]5iit 


Hoon,  t/a])tam  Uos  J^^ssarts,  iiioiitenant 
Langlols,  and  Ensign  Levieux,  were  shot  down.  Few 
officerH  rt'inained  on  their  le«j:s,  and  the  Frciiich,  having 
lost  forty-five  men  out  of  one  hundn-d  that  they  were, 
thought  that  it  was  high  time  to  o])erat(i  a  retreat  tow- 
ard their  haggage,  where  they  expected  to  ])e  support- 
ed by  the  detacliment  of  thirty  men  they  had  left  there. 
But  they  were  ])ursued  with  such  obstinate  fury  by  the 
Chickasaws,  that,  at  last,  they  were  completely  routed 
in  sj)ite  of  the  courage  and  discii)line  which  they  had 
displayed.  D'Ai'taguette,  who  had  performed  [)rod- 
igies  of  valoi',  liad  fallen  covered  with  wounds,  and  waa 
taken  i)risoner,  with  Father  Senac,  a  Jesuit,  l)u  Tisne, 
an  oflicer  of  regulars,  Lalande,  a  militia  captain,  and 
five  or  six  soldiers  and  militia  privates,  making  nine- 
teen in  all.  The  Chickasaws  gave  up  the  puivsuit  of  the 
fugitives  only  after  having  killed  fifty  of  them,  and 
wounded  many  oth<'rs.  Not  one  man  would  have  es- 
caped, if  a  violent  storm  had  not  arisen,  and  checked 
the  pursuers.  The  Chickasaws  took  possession  of  all 
the  provisions  and  baggages  of  the  French,  with  four 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  powder,  twelve  thousand 
bullets,  and  eleven  horses.  Their  victory  was  as  com- 
plete a.s  possible,  and  the  ammunition  which  fell  into 
their  hands  was  of  great  use  to  them,  in  helping  them 
to  resist  the  subsequent  attack  of  Bienville. 

D'Artaguette,  Father  Senac,  and  fifteen  others  were 
burned  alive,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Indians  in 
festivals  for  victories  obtained,  and  the  remainiuL''  two 
captains  were  set  aside,  to  be  exchanged  for  a  Chicka- 
saw warrior,  who  was  in  the  hands  of  the  French.  This 
exchange  eftectually  took  place  some  time  after. 

The  fugitives,  on  the  second  day  of  their  flight,  met 


494 


BEAUCHAMP'S  PLAN  FOR  ANOTHER  ATTACK. 


I'* 

i 


Montoherval,  who  was  following  D'Artaguette  with  one 
hundred  and  sixty  Indians,  and  fourteen  Frenchmen. 
Montcherval  gathered  together  the  broken  remnants 
of  D' Artaguette's  army,  and  fell  back,  after  having  dis- 
patched a  courier  to  (Jrandi)re.  The  courier  met  this 
officer  on  Ma -got  River,  with  all  the  warriors  of  the 
Arkansas  tribe.  He  was  waiting  for  the  return  of  the 
emissary  he  had  sent  to  bring  him  back  tidings  of 
D'Artaguette.  On  hearing  of  the  defeat  of  the  Frcnch, 
he  returned  to  the  settlement  where  he  commanded. 

The  melancholy  fate  of  D'Artaguette  and  his  com- 
panions, produced  on  the  colony  almost  as  painful  an 
impression  as  the  Natchez  massacre ;  and  the  bad  suc- 
cess   of  Bienville's   expedition  was  another   cause  of 
humiliation,  which  contribute.!  to  increase  tlie  gloom 
hanging  over  the  country.     De  Beauchamp,  who,  it  will 
be  recollected,  had  been  sent  by  Bienville,  to  support 
Noyan  when  attacking  the  village  of  Ackia,  and  to  fa- 
^.ihtate  his  retreat,  writing  on  this    expedition,  says  :_ 
"  To  make  an  end  of  the  Chickasaw  war,  it  is  necessary 
to  have  a  detachment  of  workmen,  of  miners  and  bom- 
baxdiers,  with  the  imi)lements  and  instruments  neces- 
sary to   ferret   out   those   savages,  who   burrow   like 
badgers  in  their  cabins,  which  are  very  much  like  ovens. 
If  fire  is  set  to  them,  the  straw  with  which  they  are 
thatched  will  be  consumed,  but  the  cabin  itself,  the 
roof  .'uid  lateral  walls  of  wliich  are  made  of  mud  one 
foot  thick,  will  not  burn.     Besides,  these  cal)ins  which 
are  fortified,  are   so  situated,    that   they  defend  one 
another.     It  is  not  enough  to  take  three  or  four  of 
them :  all  must  be  taken,  or  there  is  no  security.     The 
ground  being  of  a  natui-e  easy  to  be  worked,  miners  are 
necessary  to  drive  those  savages  out  of  their  cabins ; 
otherwise  we  should  be  exposed  to  lose,  in  attacking 
them,  a  considerable  number  of  men." 


r?{ri 


SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  GRONDEL. 


495 


The  failure  of  tliis  ex})eclition  seema  to  have  Leen 
due  to  a  want  of  concert  and  foresii^dit.  It  is  ])roLa])le 
that  if  the  forces  comnir,uled  l>y  Bienville,  D'Ar- 
taguette,  Montcherval,  and  (Jrandpro,  had  arrived  at 
the  same  time,  and  attacked  from  ditferent  points,  the 
result  would  have  been  favorable  to  the  French.  As 
it  was,  this  carai)aign  proved  disastrous  in  the  extreme. 
D'Artui^uette's  forces  had  been  completely  crusiidd,  and 
Bienville  had  lost  over  one  hundred  and  twenty  men. 
The  (expenses  also  had  b(!en  very  gi-eat,  and  had  turned 
out  to  be  entirely  fruitless.  These  losses  were  so  many 
deductions  to  be  made  from  the  scanty  resources  of  the 
colony. 

Lieutenant  John  Philip  Goujon  de  Cirondel,  who  had 
been  so  severely  wouiuhid  at  the  attack  on  the  village 
of  Ackia,  was  three  years  without  being  able  to  resume 
active  service.  He  was  born  at  Severne,  in  the  French 
province  of  Alsatia,  on  the  27th  of  Novendjer,  1714, 
and  was  the  son  of  Lieut(!nant-colonel  Gi'ondel,  who 
served  in  the  Swiss  regiment,  culhid  tlie  Karrer  regi- 
ment, from  the  name  of  its  colonel,  the  Chevalier  de 
Karrei-.  Grondel  the  father,  and  Kai-rer,  were  bound 
by  the  ties  of  the  most  intimati!  friendship  ;  and  Gron- 
del, when  his  son  had  liardly  attained  the  age  of  five 
years  and  a  half,  availing  himself  of  the  privilege  grant- 
ed to  the  sons  of  gentlemen  engag(!d  in  the  king's  ser- 
vice, had  him  .'egistered  jis  Cadet*  on  the  roll  of  the 
regiment  of  his  friend  Karrer,  In  November,  1731, 
young  Gr(jndel  end)arked  for  Louisiana,  with  the 
Karrer  regiment,  in  which  he  had  become  an  officer, 
and  arrived  at  last  at  N(!W  Orhians,  after  a  laboi'ious 
and  tempestuous  voyage  of  nearly  four  months.  lie 
was  stationed  for  two  years  at  I'ointe  Coupee,  where  he 

•  A  Cftdet  is  a  pcrHon  of  goiitlo  blood  who  serves  as  a  volunteer,  in  expectation 
of  a  promised  commission. 


&: 


I 


496 


SKETCH  OF  THE 


distinguished  himself  in  several  skirmishes  against  the 
Indians.     In  1734,  he  was  ordered  to  Mobile,  where  he 
made  himself  conspicuous  by  his  duels,  his  gayety,  the 
sociability  of  liis  manners,  his  gallantries,  and  his  ma- 
rauding  excursions  against  the  Indians,  in  which  he  di». 
played  great    daring.     In  17 30,  Bienville  was  prei)ar. 
ing  for  his   expedition   against  the   Chickasaws,  and 
Grondel  was  at  the  Tombecbee  depot,  when  it  was  dis- 
covered that  a  sergeant,  by  the  name  of  Montfort,  had 
seduced  the  small  garrison  of  that  settlement,  and  had 
prevailed  upon  them  to  rise  upon  their  oiReers.    It  was 
Grondel  who,  by  his  rai)idity  of  action,  disconcerted 
the  plan  of  the  rebels,  and  who  arrested  Montfort  with 
his  own  hands.     It  is  already  known  how  bravely  he 
behaved  at  the  siege  of  the  Chickasaw  villages.     Tho 
minister  of  the  colonial  department,  on  being  informed 
of  his  conduct  in  that  engagement,  in  which  he  was  so 
dangerously  wounded,  sent  him  a  gratification  of  six 
hundred  livres,  with  a  promise  of  the  cross  of  St.  Louis. 
In  1740,  Grondel  was  the  hero  of  an  anecdote  which 
is  characteristic  of  the  man  who  is  the  subject  of  this 
biograi)hical  sketch,  and  of  the  manners  of  the  time, 
It  wjis  night,  one  of  those  glorious  nights  Avhicli  are  so 
peculiar  to  the  southern  latitude  of  Louisiana ;  the  sky 
seemed  an  ocean  of  soft  li(|uid  light,  through  Avhieli  the 
full  moon  was  serenely  floating,  when  several  officers, 
kept  out  of  their  beds  by  the  beauty  and  j)urity  of  the 
atmosphere,  were  promenading  on  the  bank  of  the  Mis* 
sissippi,  in  fnmt  of  the  public  square  of  the  city  of  New 
Orleans.     They  had  exhausted  all  sul^jects  of  con  versa- 
tion,  and  in  spite  of  the  buoyancy  of  their  spirits,  had 
become   intolerably   dull.      One   of   them   exclaimed,  • 
"  What  a  pity  we  ha^'e  no  Avomen  at  hand  !    We  would 
dance.     In  tho  devil's  name,  what  shall  Ave  do  to  amuse 
ourselves  in  such  fine  weather  as  this?"     "lu  God'a 


hi     I 


UFE  OP  OKmnSL. 


4d7 


niine^» replied  Grondel,  "how  can  you  be  at  a  loss? 
Let  ua  fight.  It  h  the  best  way  to  kill  time."  No 
tooner  «aicl  than  done.  At  it  they  went,  each  one 
paired  with  another,  and  passes  after  passes  were  ex- 
changed  in  the  most  jocose  and  friendly  manner  imagi- 
nable, until  one  of  them  received  a  slight  thrust  from 
Grondel,  which  put  an  end  to  this  amicable  entertain- 
ment. 

In  1741,  a  more  serious  turn  of  mind  seemed  to  have 
come  «pon  Grondel,  and  he  married  the  daughter  of 
Captain  Bu  Tisne,  one  of  the  most  esteemed  and  effi. 
dent  officers  in  Louisiana,  whose  son  had  perished  iu 
the  ill-fated  D'Artaguette  expedition.     From  that  time 
until  1750,  when  he  became  a  captain  of  the  Swiss  gren- 
adiers, he  waa  employed  in  several  military  expeditions 
and  diplomatic  negotiations  with  the  Indians,  in  which 
he  acquitted  himself  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  to 
the  satisfoction  of  his  chiefs.     In  175;3,  he  was  rewarded 
for  his  services  by  the  decoration  of  the  cross  of  St 
Louis,  which  had  long  been  promised  to  Iiira.    Shortly- 
After,^  happening  to  be  at  Dauphine  Island,  when  a 
Spanish  vessel  was  wrecked  and  went  to  pieces  on 
that  coast,  Grondel  flung  himself  into  the  sea,  and 
being  an  expert  swimmer,  saved  several  of  the  victim*   ' 
of  the  storm  who  were  striigo-li„f^  against  death.     His 
ieroic  example  was  followed  with 'equal  success  by  ' 
Othei-s,  who  would  have  felt  ashamed  of  their  inaction. 
In  1758,  Grondel  returned  to  New  Orleans,  from  Mo- 
bile, and  having  been  enriched  by  an  heritage  whicli 
befell  his  wife,  became  a  large  planter  and  the  lord  of 
one  hun.lred  and  fifty  negroes.     But  in  175'.),  he  be- 
came embroiled  in  a  quarrel  ulth  Governor  Kei-lerec, 
who  accused  him  of  insubordination   and  of  several 
Other  offenses,  for  which  he  was  thrown  into  prison, 
where  lie  remained  three  years,    la  the  month  of  Avl- 


% 


498 


BKETCH  OP  TOT 


gnst,  17G2,  lie  was  put  l>y  tlio  t^overrior  on  l)oard  of  s 
vessel,  in  company  with  the  Inteiidant  llocliemore  ami 
several  other  olHoers,  whoui  the  governor  charged  witli 
being  engaged  in  a  scheme  of  insurrection,  and  who 
were  sent  to  France  to  he  finally  tried.  In  the  (Julf  of 
Mexico,  after  having  run  the  risk  of  being  wrecked, 
they  were  clu'.icd  for  a  while  by  an  English  frigate,  and 
escajx'd  with  diiliculty  by  the  chance  favor  of  a  dark 
night.  The  next  day,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Bahama 
channel,  they  nuit  an  English  privateer,  who  immedi- 
ately ran  upon  them.  The  French  vessel  tried  in  vain 
to  avoid  her  antagonist,  than  which  she  was  consider- 
ably weaker.  The  French  officers  having  met  in  coun- 
cil to  deliberate  on  the  propriety  of  surreiuh^ring  with- 
out an  inettectual  struggle,  (5 rondel  strenuously  ()j)pos(Hl 
any  pi'o])osition  of  the  kind,  and  adinnod  that  he  had 
tlu!  presentiment  of  victory.  His  ardor  vras  communi- 
cative, and  his  companions  unanimously  resolved  to 
fight,  (irondel  having  taken  the  command  of  the  quar- 
ter-deck, the  engagement  soon  began,  and  the  Enu'lish 
ship  l)ecanie  so  ci'ip})led  that  she  was  ol)liged  ta  drop 
away  and  to  shrink  from  tlie  contest,  A  few  daya 
after,  G rondel  who,  by  tacit  consent,  had  taken  tho 
milil:iry  C(uumand  of  the  French  vessel,  attacked  a 
large  English  merchantman,  and  aft(;r  a  short  (iiigage- 
ineiit,  in  which  he  disabled  several  of  the  crew  of  liis 
enemy,  took  possession  of  the  h^nglish  vessel.  He  dis- 
missed her  after  having  forced  her  captain  to  give  to 
the  French  all  the  provisions  of  which  they  stood  itt 
need,  and  a  draft  of  forty  thousand  crowns,  which  wus 
paid  on  presentation. 

The  danger  of  being  takt^n  Ly  th(!  masters  of  the  sea, 
was  not  the  only  one  the  French  had  to  run.  During 
a  voyage  of  ninety-four  days,  they  were  constantly 
beaten  by  storms,  until  ut  liist  they  wuru  driven  into 


■m 


LIFE  OF  ORONDBL, 


499 


tlic  port  of  Lii  Cornfia,  in  Spain,  on  the  lat  of  Novom- 
ber,  17(J2.     After  liavinir  i-estetl  tlnvo  wooks  in  tlmt 
city,  (>ron(l(a  (icpartcd  with  .seven  or  ("ii^lit  of  his  com- 
panions,  to  iro  l,y  land  to  liordeau.v.     lloclu'inor,^  the 
intendant,  with  th.^  rest  of  tlie  jKusscmirers,  re-enil.urkoa 
in  their  ship,  wiiieh  had  l,e(m  repaired.     (}ron(h."l  and 
his  fol]ow(!rs  were  all  mounted  on  mules,  and  slowly 
pursued  tlwh'  way  to  th(^  Fr(-nc]i  frontiers.     As  it  waa 
very  cold,  he  was  wrapped  np  in  a  sort  of  Canadian 
inormn-  -own,  made  of  very  fine  wool,  and  whieh,  hav- 
in.n:  a  hood,  resend.led  the  gown  of  a  Capuehin.     lie 
had  aj>p(>nded  to  it  his  cross  of  St.  Louis,  and  as  he  and 
liH  suite  had  a  very  respectable  appearance,  he  wa«i 
taken  for  a   Lishop    ),y  th<.    peasants,    who   devoutly 
Jcneeled   and   cross(-(t    th(!ms(!lves  as   he  passcid.     On 
these  occasions,  the  faithful  who  courted  Grondel's  hen- 
Cdiction,  were  Messed  T.y  him  with  a  sanctimonious 
gravity    which   drew   from   his   companions   peals   of 
laughter  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of  sight  of  the  Span- 
lards.     This  was  related  1,y  them  as  one  of  the  most 
amusmg  incidents  of  their  jouriu.y,  aiul  was  In  harmony 
With  the  levity  of  the  time.     After  twenty-four  <la/« 
of  pamlul  tra\e]iiig   In  an  inclement  season,  (Jrondel 
arrived  at  3?ayonne  in   France,  where  the   Maivpils 
d'Amon,  who  commanded  in  that  city,  ami  who  was  a 
fi'iend  of  his  coloiu'l,  received  him  with  warm  demon- 
strations of  satisfaction  and  respect,  and  gave  a  ])uldia 
festnal   in ^ his   honor.     At    Hordeaux,   tlie   celebrated 
Didve  of  Kichelieu,  wdio  was  govei-nor-general  of  the 
province  of  (;uieim(«,  treated  him  witl/the  most  gra- 
Clous  aflal.ility,  and  (ii'on.lel,  although  only  a  captain, 
was  informed  that  a  s..it  would   be  daily  reserv(;d  for 
him  at  the  marshal's  tabh'.     From  Bordeaux  he  went 
to  visit  at  Rochefort  the  staff  oflicers  of  his  regiment, 
which  had  been  recalled  to  France,  and  their  joy  at 


900 


BKETOH  OF  THB 


}fH' 


^4 


m 

\}i  1 


Ibt 


seeing  liim  showed  wliat  a  Iiold  lio  had    on  tlieif 
hearts. 

On  the  17t!i  of  Tann.uy,  170;^,  Grondel  ftmveil  in 
Paris,  and,  the  next  tiay,  w(!iit  to  [)i'os(^iit  his  respcH'ts  to 
tlie  Count  of  Hall  will,  his  late  (•oh)uel,  recently  ])ro- 
nioted  to  the  rank  of  general,  and  to  whom  he  com- 
plained of  the  ])ersecntion  of  which  he  was  the  object 
from  the  governor  of  Louisianju    (uMu^ral  TIallwill  took 
him  under  his  jn-otection,  and  can-ied  him  to  Versailles, 
■where  he  i)resented  him  to  tlu;  minister,  the  Duke  of 
Choiseul,  who  ])romised  him  i)romotion,  if,  on  his  trial, 
he  was  found  innocent  of  the  charges  ])i-('ferred  against 
him.      Kerlerec,  the  governor  of  Louisiana,  had  also 
been  summoned  to  France,  to  make  good   t]w.  very 
grave  accusations  he  had  brought  against  the  int(>ndant 
Kochemore  and  so  many  (.ilicHM-s.     Kerhn-ec  was  a  kins- 
man of  Marshal  D'l^stroes,  and  on  his  ai-i-ival  in  France, 
making  use  of  the  inHuence  of  this  nobleman  at  court, 
he  obtainiid  an  order  of  arrest  (lettre  da  cachet)  against 
Grondel,  who,  on  the  Dth  of  April,  17()'),  was  carried  to 
the  IJastile,  and  whose  papers  were  seizcnl  at  his  domi- 
cil,  and  put  under  seal.     ( )n  the  tenth  day  of  his  in(!ar- 
ceration,  he  wjis  interi-ogated  by  M,  <le  Sariines,  the 
minister  of  police,  on  whom  h(>  jtroduced  so  fuvoi-ablo 
an  imi)r(>ssion,  that  a  few  days  after  ho  was  s(!t  at  lil). 
erty,     lie  immediately  left  Paris  in  conij)any  with  the 
Duke  of  Aiguillon,  a  friend  of  his  fatliei-,  to  visit  at 
Port  Louis  that  gentlema)i,  who  was  then  one  hundred 
years  old^and  who  reached  the  age  of  one  hundred  and 
seven. 

After  having  remained  eighteen  days  under  the  pa* 
rental  roof,  Grondel  returned  to  Paris  to  sue  for  justice 
m  his  conflict  with  the  Governor  of  Louisiana.  On  the 
11th  of  August,  17()9,  after  h»ng  (hdays,  a  jiulgment 
was  rendered  in  his  favor,  and  soou  after  ho  Wiw  ap- 


I 


LIFE  OF  ORONDELb 


pointotl  H(!iit(Mi!int--('()l(.ncl,  witli  a  ,j>riitinf,y  (Df  twofliOQ. 
ttiind  live  liuiidrcfl  livrcs,  jiiid  nil  ;mMiiul  jxuislon  of 
ei^diteiui  luiiulrcd  livrcs.  These  iiivors  wvrr.  n'lidcred 
Jiiorc  v:duiil»l('  l»y  liciiiij^  accoiiip.-iiiicd  vvilti  u  IcKcr  iVotft 
the  iiiiiiislcr  of  iii.-iriiic,  Duke  of  Praslin,  In  Avliidt  flio 
duke  inloniuul  (Jroiidel  tlint  all  these  rewjin Is  luul  becift 
jU^niiited  UH  t(!Htiiii()iiials(>r  llu^  hii^h  scMisc^vhich  tlie  kin/r 
hud  of  his  s(!rvices.  In  ihn  meaji  tiuMJ,  Loiiisiiiiui  luir- 
in^  been  (hhUhI  to  S|»aiu,  (Jroiuhd  ^^ave  up  all  thoui^litg 
of  retui-niiiii^  to  lliat  colony,  and  was  appointed,  t)ii  thd 
3()th  of  DecciMhcr,  177-*,  t<»  the  coniinand  of  the  city 
of  Lorieiit.  Accordini,'  to  his  instructions,  ((irondel'i 
wife  sold  all  his  property  iu  Louisiana,  and  join((d  Jiira 
m  1770,  with  all  his  family,  (\\'c,ej)t  two  daughters,  whd 
had  married  in  the  colony.  In  17h,S,  (iroiuh^l  had 
risen  to  the  ^n-ade  of  bi'i^adier-f^^encM-al,  which  wjih  |)e« 
stowed  on  him  without  any  solicitations  on  his  part. 
Tlu!  1,'i-eat  revolution,  which  was  to  shatter  to  |)ieceN  the 
throne  of  Louis  tin;  Willi,  was  niovin^Mbrward  with 
fearfid  rapidity,  and  (leiujral  (Jrondel  who,  owini^  to]ii3 
advanccfd  ai,'e,  cc^ased  to  \)o  on  aetiv(\  service,  retir(!(l  to 
Nemours  to  end  his  days  in  such  peacii  as  was  coiri- 
J)atil)l(!  with  the  storm  which  shook  the  very  foundil^ 
tions  of  th(i  state. 

In  l7t)iJ,  (Jeneral  (Ji-omh'!  Avas  denounced  as  an  afi8« 
tocrat  and  thrown  into  j)rison,  hut  after  an  incarcera- 
tion of  (!i_i,dit  (lays,  lu^  was  I'cstoi'cd  to  liis  family  and 
fricuids.  Shortly  after,  on  tlie  29t,li  of  Aj)ril,  he  w;w| 
unanimously  elected  by  the  inliabit;ants  of  Ninnoui-S 
command inij^-^'eneral  of  the  national  i^uards  of  that  city, 
and  he  discliari^ed  the  duties  of  this  (^l(wat<!d  j)ositioa 
until  the  Ist  of  Septendx'r,  17i);5.  While  commander 
of  the  national  j^uards  of  Nemours,  two  corps  of  trocjps 
that  were  pjissini,'  through  havin<j^  <!om(!  to  blows,  (Jen- 
eral (jlrondel  had  the   merit  of  quelling  the  riot  by 


■m 


602 


CLOSE  OF  ORONDEL'S  HISTORY. 


51? 

h 

i 

-1 

1 

^ 

J 

I^M^^M 

^agM 

throwing  himself  among  the  combatants,  whom  he  awed 
mto  submission  by  his  firmness  and  his  venerable  aspect ; 
and  the  municipal  authorities  of  Nemours  voted  him 
thanks  for  his  noble  conduct.  In  1796,  overwhelmed 
with  gi'ief  at  the  horrors  which  had  swept  over  France, 
he  left  Nemours,  and  retired  to  Salins,  near  Montereau! 
He  was  one  of  those  who  were  most  enthusiastic  ia 
favor  of  Bonaparte,  when  the  future  despot  struck,  oa 
the  ISth  Brumaire,  his  celebrated  blow  against  the 
legislative  assemblies  of    France.      On  this 


occasion 


'» 


liaudry  de  Lozieres  relates  that  Grondel  rapturously 
exclaimed :  "  I  have  lived  long  enough ;  France  is  saved 
and  her  wounds  are  closed:  be  it  forever  recorded,  to 
the  eternal  glory  of  the  God  who  has  come  down  from 
heaven  to  confer  upon  us  so  many  benefits!  This 
great  restorer  is  above  the  human  species;  for  it  does 
liot  belong  to  man  to  execute  so  many  gigantic  and 
immortal  things,  and  to  do  so  ia  such  a  short  space  of 
time." 

So  intense  was  Grondel's  admiration  for  Bonaparte, 
that,  on  his  being  presented  to  the  First  Consul,  the 
octogenarian  veteran  actually  sobbed  and  shed  tears  oa 
the  hand  of  the  youthful  general  who  had  become  the 
Blaster  of  France.  The  officer  who,  in  1732,  had  been 
fighting  in  Louisiana  to  secure  tliat  important  colony 
to  his  country,  can  not  but  have  felt  deeply  grateful,  in 
1802,  to  the  hero  who  had  wrested  that  rich  possession 
from  Spam,  and  reannexed  it  to  the  domains  of  France. 
But  General  Grondel's  joy  was  not  of  long  duration, 
and  he  lived  to  see  Louisiana  escape  from  the  grasp  of 
Trance  to  fall  into  the  motherly  lap  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 


SEVENTH   LECTURE. 


8tatb  op  Aoriculture  in  1736 — Exkuption  from  Duties  on  certain  Artiolm 
OK  Importation  and  Exportation— War  betwken  the  Choctaws  and  Ciiick- 
A8AWH  —  Singular  Judicial  Procekdinq  in  1738  —  Bienvillk's  Dispatch  on 

THE    SaND-DAUS    at    THE    MdUTH    OK    THE    MISSISSIPPI De    N0AILLE8     13    SENT   TO 

Louisiana  to  command  an  Expedition  against  the  Chickasaws — Bienville's 
Jkalousv  —  Intrigues  ok  the  Indian,  Red  Shoe  —  General  Rendezvous  or 
THE  French  at  the  Mouth  ok  River  Maroot — Failure  ok  that  Exi'edition 

— Its  PRoiiABLE  Causes  —  Bienville's   Apology — Ekkects  ok  a  Hurricane 

Situation  of  the  Colony  in  1741— Heroism  ok  a  French  Girl  in  a  Battlk 
against  the  Indians— Bienville  incups  the  Displeasure  ok  his  Government 
— He  demands  the  Establishment  ok  a  College— That  Demand  is  rekused 
— Bienville  is   recalled  to  France  —  He  Departs  never  to  return— Hb 

IS  SUCCEEDED    BY  THE  MaRQUIS  OK  VaUDREUIL OtHER  FaCTS    AND    EvKNTS    FROM 

1736  TO  1743. 

The  bad  success  of  Bienville's  campaign  against  the 
Chickasaws  had,  to  some  degree,  checked  the  progress 
of  the  colony,  and  contributed  to  increase  the  disaffec- 
tion of  the  inhabitants,  who  were  already  very  little 
pleased  with  their  colonial  home,  and  who  became  still 
more  dispirited  by  the  prospect  of  protracted  warfare 
with  implacable  savages.  To  this  feeling  of  insecurity 
must  be  added  the  stagnation  of  commerce,  and  the  pre- 
carious condition  of  agriculture,  of  which  Bienville  said : 
"The  planters  are  disgusted  with  the  cultivation  of 
tobacco  on  account  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  crop,  which 
is  alternately  affected  either  by  the  incessant  rains,  or 
by  the  long  droughts  so  peculiar  to  this  country.  We 
may  produce  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  thousand  pounds 
of  indigo,  if  there  be  no  accident  in  the  way.  The  in- 
habitants are  turning  their  attention  to  this  branch  of 
industry.  As  to  silk,  very  little  is  made,  through  igno- 
rance.    With  regard  to  cotton,  the  production  is  very 


604 


THE  CHICKASAWS  AND  CIIOCTAWS. 


limited,  on  account  of  the  dilllculty  of  separating  it 
from  its  seeds,  or  ratluu-  because  tlio  cultivation  ot'  in- 
digo^ is  more  i)i-o(ltal)le.  As  to  flax  and  lunnp,  hardly 
any  is  made.  With  regard  to  tar  and  pitch,  *he  col- 
ony i)roduces  about  six  or  seven  thousand  barrels,  but 
it  wants  an  outlet."  Such  was  the  ;  late  of  agriculture 
in  Louisiana  in  1730. 

On  the  4th  of  Fel)ruary,  17a7,  the  French  govern- 
ment issued  an  ordinaiu-e  which  wius  to  take  effect  on 
the  Ist  of  July  of  that  year.     The  object  of  it  wa.s  to 
exempt  from  certain  duties,  during  ten  years,  the  pro- 
ductions of  Louisiana,  which  should  be  cari-ied  to  Mar- 
tinique, (Juadaloupe,  Tiinity,  Domini.pie,  Harbade,  St. 
Lucie,  St.  Vincent,  (Jrenade,  and  the  other  islands  of 
that  archipelago,  and  the  i)roduction8  of  these  islands 
when  transported  directly  to  Louisiana.     This  wjis  an- 
other measure  of  sound  policy,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  the  whole  administration  of  the  colony  was  not 
founded  on  a  system  equally  ;is  j)raisewortliy. 

Dui-ing  the  whole  of  the  year  1737,  war  wtia  kept  up, 
at  the  instigation  of  the  French,  between  tlie  Choctaws 
and  the  Chickasaws,  without  i)roducing  aiiy  result  of 
importance.     It    consisted    of    marauding    excursions, 
111  which,  however,  the  Choctaws,  by  their  depreda- 
tions, succeeded    in  inflicting  some  partial  injuries  on 
the   Chickasaws,   who   were   too    well   provided  with 
means  of  defense  not  to  set  at  defiance  all  the  rude  and 
incomplete  engines  of  attack,  which  could  be  brought 
to  bear  against  them.     Li  a  dispatch  of  the  28tli  of 
February,  Bienville  had  said :  » Fortified  as  they  are, 
with  the  help  and  through  the  instructions  of  the  Eng- 
lish,  the   Chickasaws   can   not   be   destroyed,   except 
bombards  of    a  strong  caliber  and  miners  are  em- 
ployed against  them.     It  is  necessary  that  we  be  so 
provided.    Tlie  English  have  sent  more  than  two  hun- 


I  ,■''!■ 


CUAIIITY  IlDSl'lTAL  IN  NKVV  OllLMANH. 


505 


(Irod  men  to  tlu'  (IhickiisawH,  to  whom  they  jillord  ovory 
kind  of  ;issistjuif(>. 

Notli'mir  occumid  (luriii*,'  that  ycur  wortli  l)('iii(,^  re- 
ooidcd,  (.'xc(!j)t  it  he  tlio  plu-iioiiK  rioii  of  tlic  tall  ut 
New  Orh'jiiiH,  oil  Puliii  Sunday,  (.f  li;iilstoncs  as  lari^'o 
as  the  ('<;i,^M  of  a  conmion  hen,  and  the  foundatii.ii  of 
an  liospital  l)y  a  sailor,  iianicd  Jean  Louis,  who,  in  the 
servi('(!  of  the  India  Company,  had  ac(|uired  a  small 
capital  of  ten  thousand  livrcs,  wliich,  at  his  d(!ath,  he 
consecrated  to  the  relief  of  suH'erin^'  liumanity.  At  one 
of  the  extremities  of  tlie  city,  a  liouse  l)elon,i,dn^^  to  one 
Mine.  KoUy,  was  purchased  for  twelve  liundred  livres; 
the  repairs  went  uj)  to  two  thousand  five  hundred  livres. 
One  part  of  the  ])alance  of  the  sum  beijueathed  was  em- 
ployed in  ])rocurinf,'  the  necessary  apj)aratus  and  furni- 
ture, and  the  other  ])art  was  kept  in  reserve.  In  1849 
th(!  Charity  Hospital  of  New  Orleans,  which  is  tlu;  j)rin- 
ci])al  institution  of  the  kind  in  that  city,  accommodates 
in  its  spacious  halls  more  than  one  thousand  ])atients, 
at  the  annual  expenst^  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  What 
contrasts  will  sj)rin«,^  up  from  the  lapse  of  a  century  ! 

As  another  exem])lification  of  such  contrasts,  it  may 
not  be  indiflerent  to  i-cjcord  that,  in  17:^8,  the  annals  of 
Louisiana  are  marked  by  a  sini^ailar  judieial  trial  founded 
on  lawy,  customs,  findings,  and  ideas  which  are  so  for- 
eign to  those  of  our  own  time,  that  there  seems  to  be 
between  them  a  widca-  chasm  of  ages  than  there  really 
is.  Thus,  an  individual  named  Labarre,  having  com- 
mitted suicide,  a  curator  wiis  ai)p()inted  to  the  corpse, 
which  wa.s  indicted,  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to 
be  deprived  of  Christian  burial,  and  to  lie  rotting  and 
bleaching  on  the  face  of  the  earth  among  the  offals, 
bones,  and  refuse  of  the  butcher's  stall. 

The  French  government  had  always  felt  considerable 
difficulty  in  preventing  desertion  in  the  troops  sent  to 


506 


DESERTIONS  AMONG  THE  FRENCH  TROOPS. 


Louisiana.  In  a  dispatch  oftlio  IStli  of  March,  1738, 
Bienville  said:  "  Many  of  the  Swiss  desert  to  Pensacola,* 
where  tlu^y  are  protected  ojienly  })y  the  monks  and 
secretly  by  the  .c^overnor.  But  jus  the  Spaniar<l.s  are 
m  want  of  provisions,  T  Iiave  recommended  to  Diron 
d'Artaguefte,  at  Mobile,  not  to  supply  them  with  any 
until  they  consent  to  deliver  up  our  deserters." 

In  a  communication  of  the  12th  of  April  following, 
he  returned  to  the  same  subject :  "Three  other  Swiss," 
he  wrote,  "  have  again  deserted  to  Pensacola,  which  is 
in  a  state  of  extreme  famine.  The  governor  of  that 
place  itent  to  me  for  some  provisions.  I  refused  them 
on  account  of  the  protection  he  grants  to  our  deserters. 
Whereupon  he  sent  them  back  to  me.  Every  day, 
there  come  here  Sj)auiards  whom  hunger  drives  away 
from  Pensacola.  We  have  ali-eady  among  us  more  than 
thirty  of  them,  whose  i)ale  and  squalid  faces  are  fi-ight- 
ful  to  look  at,  and  testify  to  the  suflferinga  of  these 
wretches.     Such  misery  is  without  a  parallel." 

These  dispatches  descril)e  a  state  of  things  which  is 
almost  inexi)licable.  On  one  side,  we  see  the  Spaniards 
running  away  from  Pensacola  to  New  Orleans,  to  escape 
froni  starvation,  and  on  the  other,  the  Swiss  and  French 
soldiers  deserting  from  the  halls  of  abundance  in  New 
Orleans  and  Mol)ile,  to  throw  themselves  into  the  arms 
of  famine  in  Pensacola.  The  only  natural  conclusion 
that  one  can  come  to  on  this  subject  is,  that  the  French 
soldiers,  blackguards  as  they  are  represented  to  be  by 
Bienville,  were  disposed  to  run  any  risk  rather  than  re- 
main in  Louisiana. 

Among  the  official  communications  of  that  year  to  the 
French  government,  there  is  a  joint  one  from  Bienville 
and  Salmon,  M'hich  bears  on  a  su])ject  of  much  interest 
to  this  day.  It  relates  to  the  sand-bars  which  obstruct 
the  several  mouths  of  the  Mississippi.     "  There  are  daily 


REPORT  ON  THE  SAND-BARS  AT  THE  BALIZE.  507 


chan^'es,"  they  .said,  "at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  the 
Balize  bar.  It  lias  been  remarked  that,  when  tlu;  win- 
ter is  short  and  the  nortli  wind  luus  not  ])reviiiled  much 
these  changes  become  more  percepti})]e  and  tlie  water  is 
not  80  deep.  Tiiis  may  also  proce<!d  from  the  existence 
of  two  other  passes,  through  which  Avater  runs  with 
more  rapidity  than  in  the  one  which  is  called  tlie 
Balize.* 

"Harbor-master  Livaudais  (capitaine de port)  used  to 
find,  ten  years  ago,  alK)ut  sixteen  feet  water  on  the 
Balize  bar,  but  it  has  since  ])ecome  greatly  obstructed. 
Lately,  when  piloting  the  Oroo,  Livaudais  did  not  find 
more  than  eleven  feet  and  a  half  on  the  ])ar.  On  ac- 
count of  this  diminution  of  the  water,  this  vessel  made 
her  way  up  with  considerable  difficulty,  the  more  so, 
that  she  draws  more  water  than  those  ships  which  pre- 
ceded her.  This  shallowness  of  the  water  over  tlie  bar 
has  frequently  been  the  cause  of  damages  and  ex- 
penses." 

"  To  obviate  this  inconvenience,  the  India  Company 
some  twelve  years  since,  had  caused  to  be  constructed 
iron  harrows,  (herses)  which  were  dragged  over  the 
bar,  to  remove  the  sand  and  mud.  But  this  expedient 
had  its  disadvantages:  it  removed  the  soft  mud,  and 
left  the  sand,  which,  forming  a  solid  and  compact  body, 
would,  in  time,  not  only  have  interfered  with  the  pas- 
sage of  ships,  but  have  prevented  it  altogether.  This 
caused  the  harrows  to  be  abandoned.  As  the  ships  of 
the  company  were  large,  aud  could  not  pass  without 
being  lightened,  a  small  vessel  (flute)  was  left  stationed 
on  the  Balize  uar,  to  receive  part  of  the  cargoes,  and 
the  spot  where  this  vessel  happened  to  be  anchored, 
deepened  gradually  to  twenty-flve  feet." 

*  TIic  Biilizc  is  known  now  under  tlie  name  of  tho  South-East  Pass,  and  ia  not 
used  at  all,  as  there  is  hardly  six  feet  water  on  the  bar 


1  m 
m 

'4m 


til 


508 


REPORT  ON  THE  SAND-BARS  AT  THE  BALIZE. 


/i* 


I 


"From  tliis  fact  the  iuference  has  been  drawn,  that,  to 
deepen  entirely  the  Balize,  it  wouhl  be  proper  to  have 
a  vessel  drawing  eighteen  feet,  in  the  hold  of  which 
brick  ^  wells  should  be  constructed.  By  alternately 
pumping  water  into  and  out  of  these  wells,  the  vessel 
would  rise  or  sink  at  will :— and  by  running  her  up  and 
down  over  the  bar,  it  is  evident  that  she  would  cut  a 
channel  through.  It  is  true  this  would  be  expensive, 
but  the  utility  of  the  measure  would  be  incalculable." 

"  Li'  audais,  who  is  a  seaman  of  thirty  years'  stand- 
ing, Inis  long  been  of  great  service  to  the  colony,  in  the 
piloting  of  vessels  over  the  bar,  and  by  his  prudence, 
he  has  frequently  preserved  them  from  accidents.  Af- 
ter having  served  some  years  on  the  privateers  of  St. 
Malo,  he  came  to  the  colony  in  the  employment  of  the 
India  Company.  He  has  deserved  well  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  it  would  be  proper  that  a  commission  of  en- 
sign be  granted  to  him." 

The  Balize  pass,  which,  in  1728,  had  sixteen  feet 
water,  in   1738,  fourteen  feet  and  a  half,  and  which 
Bienville  represents  as  filling  up  rapidly,  is  known  in 
our  days  as  the  South-East  pass,  and  Vaving  no  more 
than  six  feet  water,  has  long  been  abandoned.     The  ne- 
cessity of  deepening  the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi  was 
actually  felt  by  the  French  government,  when  the  col- 
ony was  in  its  infancy,  and  it  is  really  astonishing,  that 
a  work  of  so  national  an  importance,  which  can  be  ex- 
ecuted at  a  cost  comparatively  insignificant,  when  taken 
in  connection  with  the  results  to  be  obtained,  should  not 
as  yet  have  been  accomplished  by  the  government  of 
the  United  States,  with  the  ample  pecuniary  and  scien- 
tific means  which  it  possesses. 

But  in  those  remote  days,  although  such  an  improve- 
ment, by  the  force  of  its  practicability  and  of  its  utility, 
obtruded  itself  upon  the  attention  of  the  French  gov- 


DE  NOAILLES  SENT  OUT  TO  LOUISIANA  WITH  TROOPS.    509 


ernment,  yet  its  execution  would  have  far  exceeded  the 
expenses  which  that  government  was  willing  and  able 
to  bestow  upon  a  colony,  of  wiiich  the  existence  was  so 
precarious.  It  was  feared,  not  without  reason,  that 
England,  favored  by  the  contiguity  of  her  American 
provinces,  would,  ere  long,  make  a  successful  attack 
upon  Louisiana.  The  fact  is,  that  the  English  were 
multiplying  their  intrigues  among  the  Indian  nations, 
to  make  them  rise  upon  the  French,  and  had  succeeded 
to  a  considerable  extent.  The  Illinois,  and  many  other 
western  and  northern  nations,  whose  friendship  had  so 
far  bepn  secured  by  tlie  French,  had  become  cold  and 
disaffected,  if  not  entirely  alienated;  and  among  the 
Choctaws,  Red  Shoe,  with  a  considerable  party,  had 
again  allied  himself  to  the  English.  With  such  dangers 
staring  him  in  the  face,  Bienville  had  been  more  press- 
ing than  ever  in  demanding  additional  forces,  and  he 
was  at  last  successful.  The  minister  of  Marine  wrote  to 
him : — "  His  majesty  sends  to  M.  de  Bienville,  artillery, 
arms,  ammunition,  provisions,  merchandise,  and  seven 
hundred  men,  the  recruits  included.  Ilis  majesty  also 
sends  bombardiers,  cannoniers,  and  miners,  with  M. 
de  Noailles  d'Aime,  who  has  long  served  as  lieutenant 
of  a  ship  of  the  line,  and  who  is  to  command  the  Swiss 
and  the  detached  marine  troops.  It  is  his  majesty's 
wish,  that,  during  the  expedition,  M.  de  Noailles  should 
have  the  command,  not  only  of  the  troops,  but  also  of 
the  colonial  troops  and  militia  which  are  under  the 
orders  of  M.  de  Bienvil'e,  to  whom  his  majesty  rec- 
ommends, with  regard  vo  the  direction  and  employ- 
ment of  his  troops,  to  act  in  concert  with  M.  de 
Noailles,  who  has  the  necessary  talents  and  experience 
to  command." 

"  A  second  expedition  is  authorized,  if  it  be  thought 


r^<; 


m 


&10 


BIENVILLE'S  FEELINGS  AT  THE 


f^ 


11' 


of  absolute  utility  to  the  colony.     However,  it  must  not 
be  undertaken,  without  real  necessity." 

There  certainly  Avas  no  sound  policy  in  this  minis- 
terial  communiccition,  for  it  must  have  been  easy  to  an- 
ticipate the  feelings  which  it  was  calculated  to  awakeu 
in  Bienville's  heart.     It  was  telling  him  in  plain  terms, 
that  he  had  not  the  necesmry  talent  and  experience  to 
command,  and  that  another  who  possessed  them,  was 
sent  to  supply  his  deficiencies.     It  is  clear  that  the  sue- 
cess  of  the  intended  expedition,  under  another  chief, 
would  have  rendered  more  glaring  Bienville's  failure  in 
his  past  operations  against  the  Chickasaws.     He  had 
tasted  the  bitterness  of  defeat,  and  when,  after  unre- 
mitting exertions  and  importunities,  he  had  obtained 
the  means  he  wished  for,  to  wipe  off  the  stain  which  ad- 
verse fortune  had  left  on  his  military  reputation,  he  was 
not  to  profit  by  the  boon.     In  the  same  field,  where  he 
had   reaped  nothing   but  disappointment  and  shame, 
another  was  to  come  and  gather  a  rich  harvest  of  glory! 
He,  Bienville,  so  at  least  thought  the  minister,  had  not 
the  necessary  talent  ami  experience  to  command,  and  no 
chance  was  left  him,  to  pro\  o  that  the  impression  was 
wrong.     On  the  contrary,  the  success  of  a  i-ival,  would 
be   a   confirmation   of  the  ministerial  judgment.     No 
doubt  that  Bienville  felt,  to  the  v^y  core  of  his  soul 
the  indignity  of  his  new  position,  and  when  it  is  recol- 
lected, that  he  was  the  founder  of  the  colony,  that  he 
had  been  forty  years  connected  with  it,  that  he  had  in 
it  numerous  relations,  kinsmen,  friends,  and  adherents, 
who  looked  up  to  him  with  clannish  pride,  who  resent- 
ed his  injuries  as  their  own,  and  who  took  the  liveliest 
interest  in  his  reputation  and  aftairs,  it  does  not  require 
a  deep  insight  into  human  nature,  to  foresee  that  the 
projected  expedition  was  doomed  to  defeat.     It  is  but 
seldom  that  halfway  measures  do  not  prove  abortive 


AFPOINTHEKT  OF  DS  KOAIZXES. 


5X1 


mA  do  not  fall  far  wide  of  tlie  mai-lc  ttey  were  intend* 
ed  for.  Bienville  liad,  or  had  not  the  qualifications  to 
ht  trusted  with  command  in  war.  If  he  liad  them,  it 
was  cruel  and  unjust,  after  the  mortifications  he  had  ex- 
perienced in  his  struggles  against  the  Chickasaws, 
through  a  deficiency  of  adequate  means,  as  he  alledged, 
not  to  afford  him  the  opportunity  of  retrieving  his  past 
reverses,  and  to  put  all  the  required  instruments  which 
he  had  demanded  at  the  disposal  of  another.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  Bienville,  if  he  was  not  qualified  to  act  as  the 
leader  of  an  army,  ouglit  to  have  been  superseded  at 
once.  But  to  leave  him  in  his  post,  with  the  mocking 
appearance  of  command  and  power,  to  trample  on  his 
pride,  his  sense  of  dignity,  and  his  self-love,  by  putting 
him  under  a  sort  of  tutor,  was  a  dangerous  experiment 
to  be  made.  It  was  gratuitously  and  imprudently 
tempting  the  demon  that  lurks  within  the  deep  and 
fathomless  caves  of  the  human  heart.  Future  events 
have  demonstrated  that  the  French  government  had 
not  pursued  the  course  of  wisdom  on  that  occasion. 

The  greater  })art  of  the  year  17 .'39  was  devoted  to 
making  preparations  for  that  cam])aign,  by  which  the 
destruction  of  the  Chickasaws  wiis  to  be  accomplished. 
In  the  month  of  March,  Bienville  sent  his  nephew,  the 
Chevalier  de  Noyan,  among  the  Clioctaws,  to  conciliate 
them  and  obtain  their  support.  Noyan  succeeded  in 
his  mission,  and  out  of  the  forty-two  villages  inhabited 
by  the  nation  of  the  ('hoctaws,  he  gained  thirty-two. 


The 


remaming 


ten,  who  were  under  the  influence  of 


Red  Shoe,  declared  themselves  in  favor  of  the  English. 
In  some  of  the  thirty-two  villages  which  had  pronounced 
themselves  in  favor  of  the  French,  English  traders  were 
plundered,  wounded,  and  put  to  flight ;  and  parties  of 
warriors  were  formed,  who  departed  to  war  against  the 


512 


OPENING  OP  THE  CAMPAIGH 


Cliiekasjiwa.     They  brought  Lack  tlieir  usual  tropHes, 
whicli  consisted  of  sca]i)s. 

Proiul  of  having  jn-eveiited  the  ten  villages  from  join- 
ing in  the  alliance  Avhich  the  niajonty  of  them  had 
formed  with  the  French,  lied  Shoe,  at  the  head  of 
ninety-eight  Avarriors,  had  gone  to  the  English  settle* 
ments  in  Georgia,  under  the  hope  of  behig  handsomely 
rewarded.     It  apjiears  that  he  was  disappointed,  for 
on  his  return,  he  sided  with  the  French,  Avho,  no  doubt, 
oftered  him  l)etter  terms,  and  on  the  18th  of  August 
he  plundered  three  English  warehouses,  and  departed 
on  a  war  ex])edition  against  the  Chickasaws.     Thus,  the 
whole  Clioctaw  nation  had  become  favorable  to  the 
French,  and  Bienville  found  himself  placed  under  the 
most  auspicious  circumstances  to  execute  his  plans  of 
attack  against  the  C'hickasaws.     He  had  given  up  the 
idea  of  following  the  old  i-oute  through  the  lakes  and 
up  the  Tom1)ecbee,  although  it  was  the  shortest  and 
the  easiest,  and  lu;  took  the  resolution  to  aaceiul  the 
Mississii)i)i  up  to  that  ])art  of  its  l)ank  whicli  Avas  the 
nearest  to  the  ChickasaAv  villages.     From  that  sjiot  to 
the  Indian  villages,  the  distance  was  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles.    His  reason  for  taking  this  other  and 
longer  route,  was  his  thinking  that  it  afforded  him  fa- 
cilities to  procure  a  more  considerable  quantity  of  ])ro- 
visions,  and  to  transi)ort  his  artillery  with  less  trouble. 
Since  17.'^7,  the  engineer  Deverges,  in  compliance  with 
Bienville's  instructions,  had  studied  the  ground  and  re- 
ported that  it  offered  an  easy  access  to  the  Indian  vil- 
lages.     Acting  under  this   impression,  Bienville   had 
fixed  for  the  general  rendezvous  of  his  combin(Hl  forces, 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Margot,  not  far  from  the  present 
city  of  Memphis. 

Since  the  arrival  of  Noailles  with  seven  hundred  men, 
Bienville  was  abundantly  sii})i)lied  with  troops,  provis- 


AGAINST  THE  CHICKASAWS.  513 

ions,  ammunition,  l)oml)nr.ls,  and  .i^uns,  and  evv.vy  thin., 
looked  fair  at  tlie  openin-  of  the  cam],ai<,n..    "l,,  the 
month  of  An-ust,  I)e  Noyan,  who  connnanded  the  van- 
Kunrd,  i-eached  the  ireno.vul  rendezvous  nt  the  mouth  of 
the  riv(n-  Mai-ot.     A  short  ti.ue  after,  1)(,  la  Ih.isson. 
mere,  who  had  suceeechid  the  unfortunate  I)'Artncni(>tte 
m  the  command  of  tlie  Illinoi.s  district,  arrived  Cith  a 
detachrnent  of  the  ^i^^arrison   of  Fort  Cluartres,  with  a 
l><><Iy  ot  the  IllinolH  militia,  and  ahout  two  liundred  In- 
dmns.     A  week  liad  hardly  elaps(u],  when  Celeron  and 
^t  J.aurent  made  their  ai)j)eai-ance.      These  intrepid 
oftoers  were  from  the  far  distant  Canadian  provinces 
and  ha.l  come  with  a  company  of  (^ue],ec  and  Montreal 
endets,  and  a  considera])le  number  of  the  northern  In- 
dians.    This  comi)any  of  cadets  was  comj)os(Kl  of  select 
y()ntl.s,   all   of  ,ir,.utle  hirth,  and  tlie  sons  of  otHcers 
After  a  short  iipprenticeship,  they  were  entitled  to  be 
iii  tiunr  turn,  commissioned   as   oilicers.      While  they 
wer<.   waiting  for   I>,icnville,   the  troops  constructcnl  a 
tort  wlier(*  they  were  encamped,  and  called  it  Fort  As- 
snmj)ti(,n,  from   the  circumstance  of  its  havin<.  been 
eom])let(Ml  on  flu.  day  when  the  Catholic  church  cele- 
brat(!s  the  feast  of  the  Assumption. 

The  rest  of  the  troops,  under  the  command  of  Bien- 
ville, reached  th(>  o;vnvva]  rendezvous  only  <,n  the  inh 
of  November.     Inexplical>le  delays  had,  it  seems,  pre- 
A'cnted  the  junction  ..f  all  the  forces  of  the  expedition 
In.m  taking  ],lace  sooner.     In  the  mean  time,  that  ])art 
of  the  army  which  ha<l  been  lingering  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  Margot  since  the  nmnth  of  August,  had  been 
a  llicted  with  disease,  and  great  mortality  had  ensued 
VViien   the  whole  army  was  reviewed  on  the  V'th  of 
November,   it   was   found   to  be  composed   of  about 
twelve  hundred  white  men  and  two  thousand  four  hun- 
dred Indians.     Bienville  had  left  New  Orleans  ou  the 

K  K 


514 


TlKNnK'/.VOUii  OP  TIIK  FKKNOU  TUOOPa 


r 

!  i."' 


I2th  of  Htij)ton»lH'r,  and  iii  oiio  of  ]m  tUHpfttclioi^  Tio 
l)oiusts  of  tlic  i'!ij)i"lity  with  wliicli  hv  asiHMKJod  tha 
rivei',  considoriiig  that  ho  wjvs  only  two  monthH  on  thtj 
way. 

When  all  tlio  forces  of  ilui  ox|)(Hlitioii  woro  Lrotii^ht 
toij^cthcr,  it  was  disco v^irtul  tliut  tlioro  vvjus  a  ;^ood  <h!al 
of  false  rcckoiiiiiii;  in  tho  (jua  ',;  t  i)rovisit)ns  thoy 
exj)t'ct('d  to  havo,  and   Hicnvili  /cnnHl  tho  l^'nuioh 

government  that  nion;  tlian  halt  of  tho  cattle,  liorses, 
antl  provisions  which  had  been  <;ather«ul  at  lA)rt  St. 
Francis,  in  Arkansas,  had  heen  lost  in  ci'ossinsj^  ov(^r  tho 
marshes  and  low^  C(nnitries  they  had  to  go  thi'ough  on 
the  way  to  the  j)laco  of  n-nde/Aous  at  the.  mouth  of  tho 
river  ]\Iargx)t.  Only  oinhty  oxen  and  thirty-llvo  horses 
reached  tho  French  can  Init  in  such  a  condition  that 
they  were  not  lit  for  a.iy  thing.  Two  hundred  and 
iifty  horses,  with  inw.  hun(lr<'d  head  of  cattle,  which 
wore  exj)(!cted  from  Natchitoches,  had  also  |K(rishe<l. 

Th(^  scarcity  of  provisions  had  increasi^d  tln^  n(!C(!ssity 
of  actuig  without  loss  of  time,  liut  IJienville  did  not 
think  proper  to  take  the  road  discovered  since  II'M  l>y 
the  engineei-  Dovorges,  because  ho  said  it  was  made  im- 
practicable by  the  overflowing  of  small  I'ivors.  A  man 
by  the  name  of  Saucier,  wlu>,  in  tlu!  connnunications  of 
tlu!  time,  is  called  (/■  draircr  <>f  plaii.s  (oi-  d(!ssinat(Mir), 
had  also  found  a  road,  but  it  was  n^jecttul  by  liienvilhf. 
Tho  engineer  Devevges  again  w^ent  to  woi'k  under  tho 
direction  of  Noyan,  and  alter  two  months  of  <iX|)lora- 
tion,  discovered,  in  January,  a  practicable!  road  on  tho 
high  lands  (sur  les  hauteurs).  Unfortunati-ly,  this 
road  came  to  light  precisely  at  the  moment  when  tho 
provisions  began  to  1)0  exhausted.  Fvon  then,  \\m\- 
ville  and  Noailles  a[)p(!ai-  to  have  retnained  in  a  state  of 
hesitation  until  the  month  of  Febi-uary,  1V4(),  wluin  a 
council  of  war,  composed  t)f  Bienville,  Noailles,  JJollaguos, 


TIIKIII  UKTllKAT-rKAOE  WITH  THI?  OHIOKAHAWa       CW 

DuT.Mlluy,  1)<.  Lon^'iH-il,  I),.  Noymi,  ])(^(Jnuvrli,  D'lliiu. 
terivo,  D'Aul.iirny,  uimI  P.-pincI,  <!«.ci<l<'(l  timf,  considc.r. 
\n^  Jill  tli(^  iintownni  (•irciiinstiuiccM  the*  Kivncli  Imd  to 
contciKl  with,  it  wuh  impo.ssihh.  to  marcli  to  i\w  Oliick. 
amiw  villiiircM,  w/f/iotif  l,u::ar</i„<j  the  rqmUition.  of  the 
hht</\'  (frw.s-*  a\u\  orders  wcn/^rivoi,  t(»  pivimn-'ror  ji 
ivtivat.  TliiM  u',w  tlu^  i^rviiU'st  nnimnicnt  wliicli  ili,, 
rountry  lind  yet  socn,  mid  all  this  Ixisth-,  »]um.  and 
I)oinp  of  war  hj.<l  cinh.,!  in  smoke.  T!i(.  inoimtnii,  had 
WiKleliven-d  (.fa  ii.ous,-  tl„>   Kivnch   hud  ^^atheivd 

from  th(^  four  (piartcrs  of  the  hmmu  u c-ly  to  disperso. 

What  is  rcmarkaldc  is,  Miat  (Vdcroii,  .'ithcr  author^ 
i/cd  hy  MicMvinc,  or  assuiniiiir  fj,,.  nndertakimr  ,„i   his 
own  ivsponsihilily,  ,h.p„rt,>d  iVom  Kort  Assumption,  on 
the    ir>th  of  Mareh,  after  the   hulk   of  the  armv   had 
moved  oir  (h)wn  th(!  Mississippi,  and  munrhed  npon  the; 
(Chickasaw  villa,<,^es,  uitli  his  company  of  caih'ts,  ahout 
one  hundred  Freiiehnu-n  and   four  or  live  hundred  In- 
diiins.     When  (!(deron  aj)p(-ared  in  sij^ht  of  the  villai^'es 
with  his  small  fore(!s,  the  ('hicka.saws,  either  helievhiir 
that  it  was  only  th.^  lu'ad  of  tho   Froneh  ar.ny  whicri 
was  (•(m.int,^  behind,  or  fri-htened  at  th(^  vastness  of  the 
l>repnrations  wliich  had  I.een  ma(h- a-^^ainst  them,  and  at 
tlKMUialterahle  determination  which  the  Freneli  seemed 
to  hav(-  taken  to  ww^r.  a  war  of  extermination  ai,niinst 
their  nation,  j)resented  tliemselves  Ixjfore  th(!   Fn-ncli 
of'ic.'r,  a.s  suppliants  for  pea(-e,  which  they  solicited  in 
thn  hmrd)lest  terms.     Celeron   accepted   tjieir  prop.,si- 
tions,  and  sent  some  of  tlu-ir  chiefs  after  liienville,  whom 
they  overtook  on  his  way  to  New  Orleans.     'Fhe  FnaKtli 
p»vernor  madi;  with  them  a  treaty,  l.y  which  th(!y  prom- 
ised to  (hiliver  up  the  Natch../  th<.y  jiad  in  their  posses- 
sion, and  to  e.\tenriinat(!  tln^  ivst  of  that  mifortunato 
raco.     However,   liienvill..  «le,;Iarod  to  them  that  tbo 

•  iSariH  wmpromcttre  hm  arnm  du  Itoi. 


ffIG 


BIENVILLE'S  RErORT  ON  TH» 


treaty  of  peace  did  not  include  tlie  Clioctavvf?,  -vvlio 
TV'onld  continue  to  make  war  upon  tlieni,  and  to  receive 
from  the  Freu(;li  tin;  (-ustomaiy  l>rice  for  cnery  (liick- 
asaw  seal])  tliey  would  raise,  until  they,  the  Chiekasaws, 
sliould  irrant  to  the  Choctaws  the  satisfaction  wliich 
these  allies  of  the  French  demanded  for  certain  injuries 
they  pretended  to  have  received.  In  consecpience  of 
this  treaty,  the  Chickasaws  delivered  uj)  to  ('eleron 
a  fcAv  Natchez,  wliom  he  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
French  of  Louisiana,  and  he  returned  to  Canada  with 
his  foi-ces,  after  having  razed  to  the  <,n-ound  Fort  As- 
sumption, which  had  risen  lik(i  a  mushroom  growth, 
and  wliich  was  thus  destined  to  have  but  an  ephemeral 
duration. 

('eleron  is  the  only  officer  who  gained  any  re])uta- 
tion  in  that  e\'])edition,  which  ]>roved  so  disgraceful 
to  i]\o  F'lvnch,  although  heralded  with  so  nnich  pomp, 
and  although  re])lete  with  so  ample  means  of  success. 
Bienville  himself  felt  that  the  result  of  that  campaign 
would  redound  very  little  to  his  credit,  and  in  a  dis- 
patch of  the  10th  of  May,  17-40,  he  gives  for  it  ])ut  a 
very  lanie  and  im])otent  justitication.  It  is  evident  that 
he  felt  embarrassed  and  ill  at  ease  under  the  Aveight  of 
the  circumstances  Avhich  militated  against  him.  Ilis 
jien  labored  for  excuses,  and  it  is  ai)])arent  thac  they 
s])rung  \\p  meager  and  thin  fi-om  a  l>arren  field.     Thus 

he  wrote  to  the  minister  of  the  colonial  department: 

"  Much  to  my  soi-row,  I  feel  that  your  excellency  will 
not  be  satisfied  with  the  result  of  an  enterprise  Avliich 
has  cost  so  many  expenses  to  the  king ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  I  hope  that  you  Avill  be  i)leased  to  observe,  that  I 
had  not  failed  to  take  every  one  of  those  necessary  pre- 
cautions, which  ought  to  have  rendered  that  cam])aign 
as  glorious  as  possible  for  his  majesty , 


FAILURE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. 


rd7 


"At  all  evo.ntH,  if  we  did  not  come  out  of  it  witli  all 
tho  succcsM  vvliich  wo  had  a  right  to  expect,  the  f,doi-y 
of  tho  kin.ir's  arms  has  not  been  tai-nished.  All  th(!  In- 
dian trihiis  wore  sti-uck  with  the  grandeur  of  oui-  pi-ep- 
aratiouH,  and  have  i'elt  thi;  suj)erioi-ity  of  our  foives. 
They  have  stood  eye-witnesses  to  the  fear  with  which 
we  impressed  our  enemies,  and  which  inihiwd  tiiem  to 
sue  for  jxiace.  1  tliink  that  1  can  (^ven  assert  that,  con- 
sidering tin;  tran(inillity  which  the  c()h)ny  now  eiljoys, 
our  atfaii-s  are  in  a  Ijetter  ])ositioii  tlian  if  we  had 
nuirclied  to  the  Chickasaws,  from  whose  own  coidession 
we  know  that  they  were  ()l)S(U'ving  our  movements, 
with  the  intention  of  abandoning  their  N-ilJages,  as  soon 
as  they  should  have  been  made  aware  of  our  march 
U[)on  them 

''  After  all,  those  Chickaaaws  can  not,  when  left  to 
their  own  resources,  be  a  cause  of  much  uneasiness  to 
tlie  colony.  We  know  from  their  own  mouths  that 
tlw.y  hardly  numher  three  hundred  able  bodied  men, 
and  that  their  most  famous  warriors  perished  in  their 
late  wars." 

To  have  mustered,  at  an  enormous  expense,  an  army 
of  three  thousand  six  Innuh-ed  men,  well  i)rovi<h'd  with 
artillery,  ]>ombards,  and  arms  of  every  sort,  and  to  have 
come  within  onci  hundred  and  twenty  miles  of  the 
stronghold  of  the  enemy,  without  striking  a  blow;  to 
have  lost  five  hundred  men  by  disease  out  of  the  twelve 
hundred  white  trooi)s,  and  after  the  beginning  of  a  re- 
treat, to  have  i)atched  up,  as  it  were  by'accidtmt,  a  soi-t 
of  sham  and  hollow  peace,  for  the  observation  of  which 
there  was  no  warranty  beyond  the  j)ledged  word  of 
fickle  savages,  these  were  circumstances  which  gave  the 
most  positive  denial  to  Bienville's  assertion,  that,  "  if 
the  French  dUl  not  come  ouo  of  tlmt  campaign  with  all 
the  succei'S  which  they  had  a  right  to  expect,  the  glory  of 


¥ 


1'' 


fM 


618  REFLECTIONS  ON  THE  EXCUSES  OF  BIENVILLE 

tJie  kiuffA  arms  hml  not  hem  tarnished:'     Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible to  jigiee  with  Bieuville,  wlien  he  says  that  the  af- 
fairs of  the  colony  were  in  a  l>etter  condition  than  if 
he  had  marched  up  to  the  villai^'es  of  the  enemy,  hemuse 
in  thatwwe  the  intention  of  the  Indians  was  to  ahamhii 
those  vilUujes.     But  eveji  admitting  that  auppoHition  to 
be  correct,  would  not  the  deatruction  of  such  well-foi-ti- 
fied  strongholds  as  they  wei-e  represented  to  be,  Iiave 
been  an  immense  advantage  to  the  French  ?     And  if 
the  conviction  that  the  Indians  would  have  retired  be- 
fore such  overwhelming  odds  be  a  good  reason  for  not 
continuing  the  expedition,  it  must  have  betaian  ecjually 
strong  one  for  not  undertaking  it.     Nor  is  it  possil)le, 
agahi,  to  agree  with  liim  when  he  declares  that  the 
Indian  nations  were  struck  with  the  grandeur  of  his 
preparations,  that  they  were  made  aware  of  the  su])eri- 
ority  of  the  French  forces,  and  that  they  had  witnessed 
ni£  fear  whkh  sueh  a  dis-phu/  struck  into  the  bosoms  of 
iihe  Chichmiws,  wlio  were  forced  to  sue  for  ])eace.     It 
seems,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  insignificance  of  the  result 
obtained,  when  compared  with  the  vtust  scale  on  which 
the  expedition  against  the  Chickasaws  was  conducted, 
must  have  been  a  })ractical  demonstration,  pai-ticularly 
m  the  eyes  of  the  Choctaws,  who   numbered  fifteen 
thousand  warrioi-s,  of  the  utter  incapacity  of  the  French 
to  cope  with  any  of  the  powerful  Indian  tribes. 

A  large  share,  it  is  true,  must  be  allowed  for  acci- 
dents in  the  aft'aii-s  of  this  world,  but  those  of  which 
Bienville  speaks  in  his  dispatches,  such  as  the  overflow 
of  rivers,  and  the  loss  of  cattle  and  horses,  were  of  a  na- 
ture to  liave  been  forest-on  to  a  certain  degree.  There 
certainly  was  a  great  want  of  concert  of  operations  in 
the  movements  of  the  army.  How  came  the  head  of  it 
to  arrive  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Margot  in  August, 
and  to  be  obliged  to  wait  until  the  12th  of  November? 


« 


FOR  THE  FAILUUE  OP  THR  EXPEDITION. 


519 


Thon,  from  the  12th  of  NoveiiiTxjr  to  the  month  of 
Fehnmry,  how  came  twelve  hundred  white  men  and 
two  thouHand  four  hundred  Indians  t(»  remain  in  a  state 
oftor|)()r?  Were  the  otk*  hundnsd  and  twenty  miles 
wiru^h  Hei)arated  the  Frencli  camp  from  tin;  Chickasaw 
vilhiges  HO  im})ractica])le  ?  Had  not  D'Artasj^uc^tte  found 
these  villages  of  easy  access,  hi  M'M\  throu,c,di  the  same 
country?  If  the  road  discovered  in  lY.'iY  hy  the  engi- 
neer J)everge8  liad  become  out  of  the  (juestion  on  ac- 
count of  the  omrpywimj  of  ,wi.all  rwei',<*^  jw  stated  })y 
I^ienville,  what  objfsction  was  th(;re  to  Saucier's  ?  And 
when,  in  Januaiy,  a  third  road  was  found  out  on  the 
hi<jh  lands'^  which  road  was  succHJSsfully  tak(!n  hy  (!ole- 
ron,  on  the  l^th  of  March,  how  came  the  whole  army 
to  remain  motionkfss  through  the  whoh;  of  February? 
What  a  series  of  inexplicable  delays  fr(tm  August,  ITIU), 
to  March,  1740!  Bienville  had  latcily  been  very  press- 
ing in  demanding  a<ldltional  forces,  and  had  always  rep- 
resented the  ftirocious  Chickasaws  as  so  formidable,  that 
their  veiy  (existence  was  incompatible  with  the  tran- 
quillity of  the  colony.  How  came  he  so  suddenly  to 
changes  his  tone,  and  to  say,  that  f/io.s'e  dhichmiw.^  were 
not^  after  all,  a  noitree  of  much  'wneaHlne-ss  to  the  colony  f 
On  a  calm  and  dispassionate  review  of  all  the  circum- 
stances, it  is  hardly  jiossible  not  to  come  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  there  was  something  I'otten  at  the  bottom 
of  that  exf)edition. 

The  soluti(m  of  the  enigma  must,  I  am  afraid,  be 
looked  for  in  the  impolitic  measure  taken  by  the  French 
government  to  send  Noailles  to  assume  the  command 
of  the  intended  expedition  against  the  Chicktiaaws,  and 
to  retain  Bienville  in  a  subordinate  capacity  under  him. 
There  were  no  doubt  seeds  o*"  much  mischief  in  these 
words  of  the  French  minister  to  Bienville :  "  His  mar 
jesty  sends  M.  de  Noailles  who  has  the  necessary  talents 


I'l 


620 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  GREAT  HUURICANE 


and  uxporiouce  t(j  cominuiid;'  Tliose  suj^positioiis,  found- 
ed on  the  knowlod^fo  of  liuniun  nutuiv,  are  fully  con- 
firmed ])y  a  report  of  the  (Mi,<<ineer  JK'verges,  who  says, 
that,  althoui^di  Iiis  deterniiiuition  is  eurefully  to  uhstuin 
from  accusing  any  l.ody,  yet  he  must  confesn  that  the 
failure  of  the  expedition  was  owing  to  jealousies,  bick- 
erings, and  conflicts  of  power.     This  wjis,  no  doubt, 
putting  the  fingei-  on  the  sore.     How  couhl  it  be  other- 
wise, when  the  greater  the  resources  granted  to  a  pre- 
ferred rival,  the  greater  became  liienvillii's  interest  that 
these  resources  should  crumble  into  dust  in  the  hands 
of  their  possessor,  in  order  to  justify  the  sterility  of  the 
ex})edition  which  he,  Bienville,  had  nndertaken  with 
such  inferior  means  i     Tatriotisni  and  }»rivate  interest 
ought  seldom  to  be  })ut  in  oi)j)osite  scales,  or  a  hun- 
dred to  one  that  patriotism  will  kick  the  beam. 

It  appears  fi'oni  a  statement  of  the  ir)th  of  June, 
1740,  signed  by  Bienville  and  commissary  Salmon,  that 
from  the  first  of  January,  17.'?7,  to  the  ,'Ust  of  May, 
1740,  the  expenses  of  the  Chickasaw  war  amounted  to 
1,088,38a  livres,and  that  for  the  year  1740,  the  budget 
of  the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  colony,  avixs  put  down 
at  310,000  livres. 

On  the  11th  of  Septeml)er,  1740,  there  was  a  dread- 
ful hurricane,  which  ])roduced  very  extensive  disasters 
in  the  colony,  of  which  Beauchamp,  the  commandei'  of 
Mobile,  gives  a  description  in  a  disi)atch  of  the  iath  of 
February,  1741. 

"This  hurricane,"  says  he,  "was  so  violent,  that, 
here,  it  blew  down  several  houses,  and  among  others, 
the  edifice  which  M.  Bizoton  had  constructed,  not  only 
as  a  store,  but  as  a  house  of  refuge  for  sailors.  Unfor- 
tunately, it  contained  all  the  flour  and  other  provisions 
destined  for  the  subsistence  of  the  garrison.     I  was 


OF  THE  IITII  OF  SEPTKMUKIl,  1740. 


521 


o1)li,f,'e(l  to  send  tlie  f^iirriHoii  a  Mi'm^  uloui,'  the  cojwt, 
for  tlu!  hnnvlH  wliicli  lind  ])eeii  l)lo\vn  into  the;  vvuter, 
and  part  of  wliicli  was  staved  off.  Without  this  barrel 
lisliincr^  we  .sliould  liave  run  tlie  risk  ot'dyini^  of  hunger 
as  our  ivsources  wert;  liiuitiHl  to  six  or  eight  barrels  of 
flour,  which  were  in  the  fort. 

"The  wind  was  so  furious  that,  if  it  had  continued 
for  forty-ei,t,dit  liours,  as  all  hurricanes  j^'entirally  do,  we 
should  have  been  inundated.  Forttniately,  it  blew 
only  durin*,'  twelve  hours,  but  with  such  force,  that 
half  of  J)au|)hin(;  Island  wjis  carried  away,  an<l  more 
than  three  hundn^d  head  of  cattle  were  drowned  on  the 
island.  We  have  lost  a  f,n-eater  nu  .djer  of  them  on 
this  coast,  and  at  Pascagoulas.  This  loss  is  severely 
felt  T)y  the  poor  jjopulatiou  of  this  bectioii  of  the 
country. 

"The  effect  i)roduced  by  the  force  of  the  wind  is 
almost  incredible.  There  was  lying  Ix^fore  the  guard- 
house of  I  )auphine  Island,  a  cannon  of  four  pouml  cal- 
iber. The  whid  trans[)ort(!d  it  eighteen  feet  from 
where  it  was.  This  fact  is  sworn  to  by  all  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  island. 

"This  hurricane,  which  lasted  twelve  hours,  Ix'gan 
in  the  night  of  the  11th  of  Se])tember,  and  ceased  on 
tliat  day  at  noon.     But  although  its  duration  was  not 

long,  it  caused  much  damage 

.  To  cap  the  climax  of  our  mis- 
fortunes, there  came  another  hurricane  on  the  1 8th  of 
September,  which  destroyed  the  rest  of  our  resources. 
This  wind,  which  blew  from  N.  N.  E.  and  which  was 
accompanied  by  heavy  rains,  caused  an  overflowing  of 
all  the  rivers,  by  which  were  laid  waste  all  the  planta- 
tions of  the  Indians  from  Carolina  to  this  place.  The 
first  hurricane  was  from  E.  S.  E. : — luckily  thes*^  hurri- 
canes did  not  pass  over  New  Orleans  and  the  adjacent 


-.  f  1 


622 


DISTRESSED  STATE  OF  THE  COLONY. 


I  '-I 

t 


country,  wliere  the  crops  have  turned  out  to  he  pretty 
abun(l{int.  Otherwise,  the  whoh;  co]oxij  would  liave 
been  ill  a  frightful  state  from  the  scarcity  of  provisions, 
and  it  would  have  been  utterly  impossible  to  make 
presents  to  the  Choetaws,  in  A/hose  debt,  on  this  score, 
we  have  been  for  two  years." 

On  the  Tth  of  March,  Loubois  wrote  to  tlie  French 
goverinnent   a  communication,  which  more  than  con- 
firmed litiauchamp's  description  of  the  state  of  the  col- 
ony.    According  to  the  statement  of  Loubois,  Louisiana 
was  i-educed  to  the  lowest  degree  of  misery.     Among 
the  other  effects  which  he  relates  as  the  result  of  the 
hurricane  of  the  11th,  and  of  the  18th,  he  says,  that  the 
battery  at  the  Balize  was  so  much  damaged  that,  if  atr 
tacked,  it  could  be  carried  by  four  gun-boat".     There 
was  such  a  scarcity  of  every  thing,  that  a  cask  of  com- 
mon wine  was  sold  for  500  livres,  of  Spanish  money, 
and  800  livres,  in  the  currency  of  the  colony,  and  the 
rest  in  jirojwrtion.     As  to  flour,  it  could  be  commanded 
by  no  price,  as  there  was  none  to  be  had.     On  the  18th 
of  July,  the  same  Loubois  wrote :    "  There  are  many 
families  reduced   to   such  a  state  of  destitution,  that 
fathers,  when  they  rise  in  the  morning,  do  not  know 
where  they  will  get  the  food  required  by  their  chil- 
dren."    Louisiana,  now  reposing  so  luxuriously  in  the 
lap  of  plenty,  can  hardly,  when  looking  at  her  plump 
cheeks  in  the  mii-ror  presented  to  her  by  the  year  1849, 
be  persuaded  to  recognize  herself  in  the  picture  drawn 
of  her  in  the  year  1741. 

To  increase  the  somber  hue  of  the  horizon  which  sur- 
rounded the  colony,  the  Natchez  and  Chickasaws  had 
recommenced  their  depredations,  and  the  Pointe  Couj)ee 
settlement  had  been  the  first  to  suffer  from  tlieir  excur- 
sions. These  same  Indians,  to  the  number  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty,  attacked  in  the  Wabash  a  party  of 


r 


HEROISM  OF  A  YOUNG  GIRL. 


523 


,1]  I 
:  1  ! 


twenty-four  French  trappers  and  traders,  among  whom 
were  a  woman  and  a  young  girl.  Unluckily,  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather  had  di'iven  the  Fr(;nch  to  take 
shelter  on  th(>  hanks  of  a  small  bayou,  and  the  Indians, 
who  liad  been  following  them  for  some  time,  took  hold 
<>?  hills  which  commanded  the  bayou,  and  on  which 
they  were  protected  by  thick  woods.  From  this  van- 
tag(vgi'ound,  they  poured  their  fire  on  the  French. 
The  battle  lasted  six  hours,  during  which  time  the 
young  girl  dis]>layed  the  greatest  heroism.  She  re- 
peatedly exposed  her  life,  by  coming  out  of  h(T  j)lace 
of  concealment,  to  cut  the  ])owder  horns  of  those  of  her 
companicms  who  di-opped  dead,  and  to  distribute  the 
much  wanted  ammunition  among  the  surviving.  At 
last,  a  })ullet  put  an  end  to  lier  existence,  and  the  other 
female  was  also  killed.  Of  the  twenty-four  ti'appers,  or 
traders,  sixtecm  perished.  'Jlie  remaining  eight,  seeing 
that  they  could  no  longer  maintain  their  ground,  made 
a  desperate  charge  upon  their  foes,  and  forced  theii*  way 
through.  Three  of  them  were  wounded,  >)ut  they  all 
escaped.  Writing  on  these  events,  Loubois  said,  "  I 
am  mortified,  for  the  sak(^  of  the  tranquillity  of  this  un- 
hap])y  country,  to  see  that  1  was  not  mistaken  in  the 
judgment  which  I  had  passed  on  our  late  treaty  of 
peace  with  the  ('hickjisaws." 

Thus,  it  is  seen,  that  the  l^^'i'ench  ofRcei"s  knew  how  to 
reduce  to  its  true  value;  the  nugatory  peace  which  Bien- 
ville had  contracted  with  tin;  Chickasaws.  With  re- 
gard to  the  French,  it  was  piu'ely  nominal ;  and  the 
Choctaws,  so  far,  had  not  obtained  the  slightest  redress 
for  those  injuries,  of  which  they  complained,  and  for 
which  J^ienville  had  demanded  satisfaction  of  the  Chick- 
asaws. These  two  nations  Avere  therefore  still  in  arms 
against  each  other,  arul  had  several  encounters,  in  which 
the  Choctaws  had  the  advantasje.     On  that  occasion. 


.!l5ill 


ffi 


'  <i 


524        niKNVILLE  LOSES  FAVOR  WITU  THE  GOVERNMENT, 

Bienville  iufonned  his  £>'()veniinoiit,  tluit  ho  Haw  with 
pk'usure  tliiit  tlu!  vJiioctjiws  \v('r(>  t,n-()\viri«^  iiioro  wniTiko, 
nntl  that  tliey  Avorc;  no  kmi>;v.v  nli'uitl  of  jnoeting  thuif 
old  enemies  in  battle. 

The  establishments  at  the  Baliz(!  havini^  been  nimoat 
destroyed  by  the  humcancs  of  the  Hth  und  18th  of 
8e]>tember,  1740,  it  beeanie  necessary  to  fenew  or  TO* 
store  tluan.  TliO  en^nneep  l)evei;ii^e«  cstimatcHl  the 
probable  eost  at  454,074  livres,  inebi(lini,M)nly  the  moat 
im[)ortant  part  of  tlie  works,  Bienville  informed  th® 
Freneh  j^'overnnient,  that  he  had  contracted  for  what  It 
Wjus  most  uri^ent  to  havc^  doiw,  with  Uubreuil,  wlio  mm 
the  only  man  in  the  colony  sulUcicMitly  wealthy,  t(J  takt 
charge  of  snch  ati  nn(h'rtakin->:,  and  to  wljoni  it  lad 
been  ndjudicuted  for  the  sum  of  297,3b2  livres  W 
centimes, 

Oa  the  31st  of  OetoT)or,  tlio  council  of  state,  in 
Fi-anco,  prorogued  to  ten  year.4  the  oi'dinance  of  tbo 
(U)tli  of  September,  17.'?-^  wliich  exempted  fronubities 
the  imports  into,  and  the  exports  from  Louisiana.  It 
was  a  Jaudalde  perseverance  in  th(^  right  path. 

The  budget  of  the  curr(>nt  ex])enses  of  Louisiana  in 
1741,  amounted  to  :U  9,411  livi-es.  The  sahiry  of  the 
governor  W!u^  12,000  livres;  Ms  secretary,  l2oi)  livres; 
the  royal  commissary,  8,000  livri^s. 

The  French  governnu-nt,  according  to  Bienville's  ex- 
pectations, had  learned  with  much  displeasure  the  result 
of  the  last  expedition  against  tlu;  CJhickasaws,  and  the 
minister  of  the  colonial  department  addressed  Bienville 
on  the  subject  with  some  severity.  From  that  time,  all 
the  orticial  connnunicationa  which  he  received  were 
harsh  in  their  tone,  and  showed  how  much  ground  be 
had  lost  at  court  In  a  dispatch  of  the  19th  of  Janu- 
ary,  1 74i\  the  minister,  after  having  expressed  his  dis» 
COiiteut  and  disapprobation  with  regard  to  several  acta 


in 


AND  la  REOALLKD. 


525 


r; 


of  Eictivillo's  fidniinistrntioTi,  says: — "Moroovor,  it  has 
conK^  to  my  knowlcdi^a',  tluit  you  liuvi^  permitted  two 
fuTuilie!^,  est;il)lislied  in  tln^  colony,  to  eiiii!j^r;ite  to  St. 
3)oniiii!j^o,  l)y  the  slii|>  'I'l'iton,  and  not  oidy  Iimam^  yon 
not  laid  Ix'l'oi'e  mv.  tlu^  reasons  wliicli  may  have  detei-- 
iuin(!(l  yo>i  to  u^i'ant  tiiis  j)erniission,  }»nt  you  liave  not 
liven  intoi'Tued  me  of  tlieir  depai'tui'e.  Y(*t,  yon  must 
l>e  awai'c  that,  indepeTuh'iitly  of  the  |)reJudi(',o  causcvd  to 
th(^  colony  by  the  desertion  of  ils  iidiahitants,  sucli  an 
example  can  not  but  be  a  source;  of  dis(;ouri;^■ement  for 
tijose  who  remain  in  it.  Ib-nce,  liis  nuijesty  forbids  you 
t«J  allow  any  one  to  leave  tin;  (colony,  without  oi-derssent 
t<>  you  on  this  subject.  You  will  Ik;  phiased  to  actt  in 
Conformity  with  this  instruction.  You  will  also  coni- 
aiunicatcfto  nuithe  rc^asons  for  which  you  allowed  thes(i 
two  faniili((s  to  i^o  to  St.  Domint^o.  The  su^t^estion 
■wlu'ch  you  iiave  made,  that  ])ermission  b((  t^^ranted  to 
tlio  i!dnd)itanfs  of  Martiiii<pie  to  (fmiifi'at(!  at  will  to 
Louisiana  with  their  ^oods  and  nei^n'ofis,  (h!serv(!s  to  bo 
examined,  and  i  will  hw,  what  is  to  b(;  (Ion(f  in  iiio 
matter.'* 

Front  the  contiiniance  of  the  tone  In  which  In;  waa 
ad(b'esse(l,  Bienville  saw  tliiit  he  could  not  weal  her  the 
disfavor  into  which  he  had  fallen,  ;ind  he  be!^''^i,'-e(l  to  be 
recalled; — which  demand  was  icndily  aeupiiesced  in. 

Iji  the  mean  time,  the  ('hoctaws  wei'e  continuinsj^  to 
U'nf^c  uar  against  the  Chickasaws  with  irreat  sj)ii'it,  ac- 
tivity, and  success.  The  race  of  the  Chickasaws,  like 
that  of  the  Natchez,  was  threateneil  with  desti'uction. 
Their  aru'i(!nt  ])owei"  and  renown  wei'e  ebbini^  fast  away. 
Tlu'y  had  lately  h)st  more  than  lifty  wai'rioi's,  one  liuii- 
dred  and  sixty  liorses,  and  a  lai'i^'e  nmnbc-r  of  theii'  cat- 
tle. The  few  survivini^  Natchez  who  had  taken  refuge 
with  the  Ohickasaws,  iinding  they  were  an  incumbrance 
to  their  generous  pi-oti.'ctors,  wlio  were  so  .sorely  i)ressed, 


0 


! 


626 


I3IENVILLE  WHITES  TO  THE  MINISTER 


had  retired  umong  the  Cherokees.  So  fierce,  indeed, 
had  l)ecome  the  struggle  l)etween  the  Choctaws  and 
Chu'kasaws,  tliat  it  promised  a  speedy  termination,— the 
foi-mer,  wlio  were  much  moi-e  jwwerfu],  liaving  sworn 
that  they  would  drive  away  the  latter  from  their  old 
hereditary  possessions.  The  Choctaw  chief,  Ked  Shoe, 
acquired  great  distinction  in  this  war,  and  became  the 
scourge  and  terror  of  the  Chickasaws. 

The  preoccupations,  vicissitudes,  and  dangers  of  war 
had  much  contributed  to  the  neglect  of  agriculture  in 
the  colony.     But  a  fragrant  shrub,  called  the  Atmmu^ie 
by  the  Indians,  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  gov- 
ernment.     It  is  the  wax-tree,  or  candle-berry  (myHca 
cerifera),  of  which  the  wax  is  used  for  making  candles. 
These  candles  were,  at  that  time,  in  general  use  amonc/ 
the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana.     The  French  government 
thought  that  they  could  make  of  the  wax  an  object  of 
trade,  and  required  information  on  the  subje.;t,  which 
was  given  in  very  interesting  reports  made  by  Bien- 
Vdle,  Salmon,  the  botanist  Alexandi-e,  and  others.     It 
resulted  from  the  investigations  at  that  time,  that  the 
cultivation  of  this  shrub  might  l)e  i)roductive,  and  that, 
at  an  average,  eight  pounds  of  berries  produced  one 
pound  of  wax. 

^Oii  the  2Gth  of  March,  1742,  Bienville  wrote  to  the 
minister  witli  regard  to  his  recall :— "  If  success  had  al- 
ways  corresponded  with  my  ai>plicutiou  to  the  aifairs 
of  the  government  and  administration  of  this  colony 
and  with  niy  zeal  for  the  service  of  the  king,  I  would 
have  rejoiced  in  consecrating  the  rest  of  my  days  to 
such  objects;  but  through  a  sort  of  fatality  which   for 
8ome  time  past,  has  obstinately  thwarted  my  best  con- 
certed plans,   I  have  fre.piently  lost  the  fruit  of  my 
hibors,  and  ])erhai)s  some  ground  in  your  excellency's 
coufideuce.    Therefore  liave  I  come  to  the  conclusion, 


WU 


''I  fi 


ON  THE  SUBJECT  OF  UlS  RECALL. 


527 


that  it  ia  no  longer  necessary  for  me  to  struggle  ao-ainst 
my  adverse  fortune.  I  hope  that  better  luck  may  at- 
tend my  successor.  During  the  l)alance  of  my  stay 
here,  I  will  give  all  ray  attention  to  smooth  the  difficul- 
ties attached  to  the  office  which  I  shall  deliver  ui)  to 
him,  audit  is  to  me  a  subject  of  self-gratulation  that  I 
shall  transmit  to  him  the  government  of  the  colony, 
when  its  affiiirs  are  in  a  better  condition  tium  they  have 
ever  been."  It  is  impossible  not  to  sym])athize  with 
the  deep  despondency  and  bitter  feeling  of  (lisui)})oint- 
ment  exj)ressed  in  this  dis])atch  of  Bienville,  who  felt 
no  douljt,  that  the  ties  which  for  more  tluui  foi-ty  years 
had  connected  him  with  Louisiana,  the  joint  creation  of 
his  family  and  of  hiinstilf,  were  forever  to  be  severed. 
Who  has  not  met,  or  will  not  meet  the  day  when  he 
stood,  or  will  stand  up  in  desolation  like  Jiicnville 
with  what  enei'gy  he  may  suinmon  up  from  his  soul, 
amid  the  shivered  fragments  of  hereditary  ailections, 
long-cherished  hopes,  and  deeply-laid  i)lans  of  fortune 
and  hap})iness,  which  were  the  very  household  gods  of 
his  heart?  Who?  But  why  i)hilosophize ?  It  haa 
become  too  trite  and  commonplace. 

Although  waiting  for  his  successor,  and  governing 
the  coimtry  only  ad  interim,  Bienville  was  not  the  less 
on  the  lookout  for  every  thing  that  could  be  turned  to 
the  profit  or  advantage  of  Louisiana.  On  tlu^  loth  of 
June,  he  wrote  to  the  French  government,  jointly  with 
Salmon: — "It  is  long  since  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana 
made  representations  on  the  necessity  of  their  h;i\'ing  a 
college  for  the  education  of  their  children.  Convinced 
of  the  advantages  of  such  an  establishment,  they  invited 
the  Jesuits  to  undertake  its  creation  and  management. 
But  the  reverend  fathers  refused,  on  the  ground  that 
they  had  no  lodgings  suited  for  the  purpose,  and  had 
not  the  necessary  materials  to  support  such  an  iustitu- 


m 


ill 


^^H 


528   APPEAL  FOR  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  A  COLLEGE. 

tion.     Yet  it  is  essential  that  tliei-e  be  one,  at  least  for 
the  study  of  tlie  clnssics,  of  geometry,  geo,<^m])hy,  pilot- 
age, etc.     Tliere,  the  youths  of  the  colony  would  he 
taught  the  knowledge  of  religion,  whieli  is  the  hasis  of 
nioi-ality.     It  is  hut  too  evidently  denionsti-ated  to  pa- 
rents, liow  utterly  worthless  turn  out  to  be  those  chil- 
dren, who  are  raised  in  idleness  and  luxury,  and  how 
ruinously  expensive  it  is,  for  those  who  send  their  chil- 
dren to  France  to  l)o  educated.     It  is  even  to  ])e  feared 
from  this  circumstance,  that  tlie  Creoles,  thus  educated 
abroa(l,  will  imbil)e  a  dislike  to  their  native  country, 
and  will  come  back  to  it  only  to  receive  and  to  convert 
into  cash  Avhat  propei-ty  may  be  left  to  them  by  their 
parents.     Many  persons  in  Vera  Cruz  would  rejoice  at 
having  a  college  here,  and  would  send  to  it  their  chil- 
dren." 

This  joint  application  of  Bienville  and  Salmon  for  a 
college  was  set  aside  on  the  ground  that  the  colony  was 
too  miimpoiiant  for  such  an  establishnnMit.     Strange  to 
say,  Louisiana  has  ever  since  suffered,  through  more 
than  a  century,  from  the  difKculty  of  educating  her  na- 
tive population  within  her  own  limits;  and  to  this  dnv. 
we  may  regret  with  IJienville,  that  so  large  a  nund)ri" 
of  Lonisianian-  are  yearly  sent  away  to  distant  colh^ges, 
in  countries  from  wliich  they  return,  ])crhai)s   with  a 
distaste  for  what  awaits  them  undei-  the  })at("rnal  i-oof 
and  often  with  a  much  less  keen  sense  of  patriotism  and 
of  state  pride.     Nor  is  it  astonishing  if,  after  a  long  ab- 
sence, their  whole  organization  requires  to  be  morall^- 
and  bodily  modified  to  suit  the  climate  of  f)ur  southern 
latitude  and  the  atmospliere  of  our  peculiar  institutions, 
ideas,  feelings,  and  manners.     Fortunately,  the  legisla- 
ture of  the  state  is  gradually  preparing  a  remedy  for 
this  evil. 

The  year  1742  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  the  coJ- 


CLOSE  OF  THE  YEAR  1742. 


ony  would  liave  (>njoyed  perfect  tninquillity,  if  it  had 
not  been  soniewluit  disturbed  by  the  war  of  the  Cliick- 
a«aws  and  of  tlie  (Jlioctaws.     However,  the  Cliickasawa 
had  lately  sufrer(!d  so  much  from  the  incessant  attacks 
of  tlie  Choctaws,  that  many  of  them  were  seekiui^  for 
an  asylum  in  Carolina,  and  it  was  hoi)ed  that  Louisiana 
would  soon  be  rid  of  that  turbulent  race.     But  soma 
fears  of  an  attack  from  a  more  powerful  foe  were  ex* 
cited  by  the  cii-cumstance  of  some  En_i,dishmen  bein<^ 
found  on  the  Mississippi,  in  the  Illinois  "district,  and  of 
others  bein,<,'  arrested  about  one   hundred  and  twenty 
miles  a})OV(;  Natchez.     As  it  was  supposed  that  Knglisli- 
men  could  not  have  come  to  Louisiana  with  ,i,n)0(l  inten- 
tions, those  who  were  made  prisoners  in  the  Illinois  di«. 
trict,^  were  sentenced  to  three,  and  some  to  five  years' 
imprisonment;  and   with   regard   to   tluxse  who  were 
caught  near  Natchez,  in  small  bark  canoes,  and  who 
were  five  in  num])er,  Bienville  wrote  that  they  were 
spies  from  Virginia.     "They  shall  l)e  tried,"  said  he, 
"  and  I  shall  endeavor  that  they  be  sent  lo  the  mine.'i 
of  New  IVrexico." 

The  French  were  then  on  very  good  terms  with  tho 
Spaniards,  and  Bienville  infoniKid  the  French  govern- 
ment that  the  Aiidiencia  Heal,  or  supreme  royal  tribu- 
nal, which,  at  that  time,  governed  ad  interim,  the  prov- 
inces of  Mexico,  having  rciceived  intelligence  that  the 
English,  under  Admiral  Vernon,  meditated  an  attack 
against  Vera  Cruz,  had  applied  to  him  to  obtain  six 
eighteen  pounders,  and  that,  in  concert  Avith  the  com- 
missary, Salmon,  he  had  granted  them  the  assistance 
demanded. 

The  current  expenses  of  the  colony  for  the  year  1742, 
amounted  to  322,029  livres. 

The  Mar({uis  de  Vaudreuil,  the  successor  of  Bienville, 
arrived  at  ^<i\y  Orleans,  on  the  10th  of  May,  1748,  and 

i.h 


530 


BIENVILLE  DEPARTS  FOR  FRANCE. 


Bienville  departed  for  France,  never  to  return  to  the 
colony,  although  his  life  was  prolonged  twenty-five 
yeare.  When  he  left  Louisiana,  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  sixty-five,  and  he  carried  away  with  him  the  re- 
grets, the  esteem,  and  the  affections  of  all  the  colonists, 
who  called  him  the  father  of  the  country.  With  it,  as  an 
object  of  his  creation,  he  was  naturally  identified,  and 
he  loved  it  with  all  the  fervor  of  the  parental  heart. 
Hence  did  he,  perhaps,  think  liimself  possessed  of  a 
prescriptive  right  to  its  administration,  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  he  looked  with  a  jealous  eye  on  all 
that  interfered  with  this  right.  The  fact  is,  that  ill  did 
he  seem  to  brook  any  authority  set  over  him ;  and  wlio 
is  he  who  will  fling  the  first  stone  and  say  that,  in  Bien- 
ville's place,  he  is  sure  he  could  have  felt  and  acted  dif- 
ferently ?  Bienville  deservedly  exercised  great  influence 
in  the  country,  which  had  been  settled  under  his  aus- 
pices and  patronage,  and  which  was  full  of  Canadians 
like  himself,  of  his  numerous  friends  and  dependents, 
kinsmen  and  family  connections.  When  in  opposition 
he  must  have  been  able  to  do  much,  either  directly  or 
indirectly.  To  the  fear  of  this  power  which  he  pos- 
sessed, must  be  ascribed  his  recall  to  France,  and  his 
detention  there  for  ten  years,  when  Perier  was  ai)})ointed 
governor  in  17  "20.  Hence,  also,  the  removal  from  of- 
fice, at  that  time,  of  all  his  friends,  and  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  his  family.  At  a  later  period,  to  him,  or  if  he 
I'etnained  passive  himself,  to  the  ill-will  of  ]\m  creatures, 
whom  he  did  not  exert  himself  to  check,  must  be  attrib- 
uted the  failure  of  the  expedition  against  the  Chicka- 
saws,  uiuler  T)e  Noailles,  in  1789.  At  least,  all  appearan- 
ces and  a  whole  concourse  ot  circumstances  combine  to 
impress  this  belief  upon  the  mind  of  the  historian.  Bien- 
ville himself,  feeling  at  a  loss  how  to  present  his  justifi- 
cation in  a  favorable  light,  and  to  rebut  the  presump- 


N  o 


HIS  CHARACTER. 


031 


j'ose  MX 
e  I'ecourse  to 


tions  and  all  the  circumstantial  evidence  whicli 
testimony  ai^ainst  him,  was  obliged,  as  he  did  in  his 
patch  of  the  2()tli  of  March,  1742,  to  hav 
fatality^  and  to  attribute  his  misfortunes  to  this  stera 
and  omnipotent  cause.     With  the  exception  of  this  sin- 
f^le  blemish,  his  career  is  one  of  unsullied  purity  and  of 
continual  usefulness.     A  man  of  undoubted  integrity,  a 
strict  observer  of  his  word,  punctilious  as  a  knight-er^ 
rant,  as  to  his  honor  and  fair  fame,  devotedly  attached 
to  his  country  and  to  his  king,  true,  heart  and  soul,  to 
his  fi'iends,  to  his  kinsmen  and  family  connections,  bland 
and  courteous  iu  his  manners,  humane  and  generous, 
possessing  a  highly  gifted  personal  .-t  ppearance,  having 
all  the  distinction  inherent  to  a  man  of  refined  and  ele- 
gant tastes,  he  retained  tliat  air  of  grandeur  so  peculiar 
to  the  age  of  Louis  XlVth,  which  had  closed  when  he 
had  already  reached  manhood,  being  over  thirty  yeai-s 
old  when  the  grand  monarch  died.     With  all  these 
qualifications,  he  might  have  been  set  up  as  a  faithful 
representation  of  the  gentlemen  of  that  time.     When 
he  left  Louisiana  forever,  although  he  was  under  the 
displeasures  of  the  court,  the  colonists  were  loud  in  ex- 
pressing their  regrets ;  and  whatexcr  faults,  inseparable, 
perhaps,  from  human  nature,  he  may  have  committed, 
his  poi)nlarity  in  the  j)roviuce  Mhere  he  had  lived  to 
old  age,  had  never  been  sliaken,  and  he  certainly  was 
one  of  the  most  honorable  and  striking  characters  of 
the  primoi'dial  history  of  Louisiana. 

Among  tlui  othei-  most  conspicuous  names  in  the  an- 
nals of  Louisiana,  Is  that  of  D'Artaguette,  wiilch  disap- 
pears, however,  at  the  same  vime,  when  Bicmville  retires 
from  the  colony.  The  royal  commissary  of  that  name, 
who  came  to  Louislaiui  in  1708,  and  who  filled  in  it 
several  high  ofHces  until  1742,  left  behind  him  a  long 
memory,  which  made  hid  virtues,  Lis  talents,  and  his 


■  I 


4  il 


93% 


UEOOLLECTIONS  OF  D'AHTAGUETTK. 


'«  .'lif'l 


deeds,  familiar  to  severul  Hucceedinc^  i^onpiutioiiM;  'ind 
the  raeluncholy  tutt'  of  liis  youni^'or  hrotluT,  D'Arta- 
guGtte,  the  brilliant  c)llic(>r  who  fell  into  the  luuuls  of  the 
Chic.kasttws,  nffcor  a  dcsporate  buttle,  and  who  was  burn* 
ed  by  them  at  the  stake,  had,  it  seems,  made  such  a  deep 
impression  in  the  jounti-y,  that  the  name  of  these  two 
men  had  remained  almost  a  household  wortl  in  evei'y 
family.  It  may  be  in  the  recollection  of  many  that,  ivi 
late  as  1815,  gangs  of  negroes,  when  at  work  in  tin; 
fields,  sang,  among  the  nuiny  songs  with  which  they  (ui- 
livened  their  labors,  one  of  which  the  often  r(!i)eated 
bttrdea  wai*,  if  spelt  in  Fi-ench,  as  pronounced  :-— 

**Di  toms  missie  d'Artaguctto, 
He!     llo!     116! 
C'otiiit,  c'etait  bon  tems. 
\'e  te  meiiin  inondo  u  la  baguette. 
116!    Ho!    He! 
•    ■        '  l*as  negros,  pas  rubans 

Pas  diainans 
I'our  dochans. 
He!    Ho!    H6!'» 


which  means  i-— 


;.  '^w 


♦'  In  tlie  days  of  D'Artaguctto, 
Ho!    ilo!     H6! 
It  was  the  good  old  time. 
The  world  wjis  led  strait,'ht  with  a  switcb, 

H6 !     lEo !     Ho  ! 
Then  there  were  no  negroes,  no  ribbons, 
No  diamonds 
For  tilt)  vulgar. 
H6!     Ho!     H6!'* 


It  was  also  customary  to  say,  when  alluding  to  any- 
thing antiquated,  or  out  of  fashion,  "  This  is  as  old  iia 
D'Artaguette,"  instead  of"  This  is  as  old  aa  Methusalem." 
It  seems  that  thld  name,  connected  no  doubt  with  the 


CONOLirslON. 


033 


floatltij^  rocolloctions  of  l)y-i^^(,n(i  (tvcmts,  had  tuketi  liold 
of  the  iniiinliijitioii,  even  of  Uu;  iiioHt  ignorant  chm  of 
our  ])(){)ul.'iti(»n, 

^  But  witU  tho  roniiiii^  of  now  gonoratlons,  tlio  old 
dittuN  IijiV(f  fcased,  the  (|iialnt  colonial  cxprcssionH  have 
fallen  int(..  disuse,  and  the  weeds  of  oldiviou  are  daily 
creephi*,*  over  and  cone(;alin<,'  tho  Vestiges  of  the  past^ 
and  thos(»  traditions  \vlil(!h  were  the  ini[)resH(!s  of  the 
footste])s  of  tunc ;  while  th.;  haiid  of  iieghurt  <Iesti-oys,  or 
allows  to  j)erlsh,  those  private  and  publie  manuscripts, 
which,  like  fossil  boncf*  in  tlio  liandf*  of  the  ge()h)oist, 
Blight  liav«^  helptitl  tlio  historian,  m  rtjcom  posing ''the 
frumo  and  physiuguomy  of  Louiaittua,  wlicjn  breutbiujr  a 
colonial  life.  ^ 


APPENDIX 


J  'ill 


I 


►V/d' 


U?  •• 


i^ii'/i 


APPENDIX. 


i. 


BLACK   CODE. 


A\ir.  1, 
Decrees  the  expulsion  of  the  Jews  from  tlio  colony. 

Ain\  2, 

Makes  it  imperative  on  masU^rs  to  imi)ait  rdigiuiis  instructions  to  their 
slaves. 

Art.  3, 

rormils  t,lH>  ..xpiviso  of  Urn,  Itomaii  ( 'atliulic  cvwA  only.     Every  otluir 
mo(l(!  of  \vi)rslii|i  is  inMliiliilcd. 


lilt  ; 


AiiT.  4. 


Nc^rrocs  placod  uiidor  tlic  direction  or  supervision  of  any  other  pei-son 
than  a  Catholic,  are  liable  to  confiscation. 


A  KT. 


Sundays  and  holydays  are  to  be  strictly  obsorveil.     All  ncfrroes  found 
at  work  on  these  days  are  to  bo  confiscated. 


Aitr.  0. 
"VV.s  f,)i-l,id  oin-  white  subjects,  of  both  sexes,  to  marry  with  tl,.i  blacks, 
under  the  penalty  of  boinir  lin((d  and  sul)j('cted  to  some  otlier  arbitrary 
punishment.  We  forbid  all  curates  priests,  or  missionaries  of  our  secular 
or  reo-ular  cleriry,  and  even  our  chaplains  in  <,ur  navy,  to  sanction  such 
marriages.  We  al<u  forbid  all  our  wiiite  subjects,  and  even  the  nninn- 
mitted  or  free-born  blacks,  to  Ynv,  in  a  state  .,f  concubinajro  with  slaves. 
Should  there  bo  any  issue  from  this  kind  of  intercourse,  it  is  our  will  that 


i    M 


AFrENDHL 

the  fcraon  «o  ofToiutln,?,  ntnl  ttm  nmsW  of  tho  elaw,  should  pay  cack  s 

fine  of  tt.rco  liuiuli-ca  livi-oM.  sfu.ul.l  s;i!,I  issue  l)o  tlio  result  of  tlie  con- 
CUt.iiiMMv  of  the  tiiastor  witii  Ms  slaw,  said  inxslnr  sliiill  flot  only  fay  tba 
fine,  but  1)0  d.'i.rivod  of  tlio  sla>(^  and  ..f  IImj  cliildrcn,  who  stialt  to  ad- 
judpod  totho  liospital  of  tlu'  Ioi'mIKv,  and  said  slaves  sliall  Iti  forever  In- 
Ciij)al.le  <.f  iK.iiifr  set  free,  liut  slun.l.l  this  illicit  Jlitorcourse  Iiavo  existed 
belweeu  a  free  blaek  and  his  slave,  when  said  free  Mack  haj  no  le^MU- 
aoati)  wife,  and  should  said  hiaek  marry  saitl  stave  .'leeordintf  to  thu  forrat 
presorihed  by  tlie  cliuroli,  said  slave  shall  be  thereby  set" free,  ana  the 
children  shall  also  bi'conie  free  and  legitiinaUij  tirul  ju  suclj  a  case,  ihew 
«iall  be  310  ai)]>lieatioii  of  the  penalties  iuciitioued  in  tho  present  ittUcI«. 

Anx.  7. 
The  <»eremonies  and  forms  prescribed  1>y  thfl  ordinance  of  Rlols,  and  by 
the  <>diet  of  I (;:)!),  for  niarriajres,  shall  be  observed  both  ^ith  repird  to 
free  jH'rsous  and  to  slaves.  ]iut  the  consent  of  the  father  and  tnoUiCt  of 
the  slave  is  not  Uecessary;  that  of  the  iDsusWr  shall  lo  tLo  only  one  W- 
quired. 

Ant.  8. 
We  forbid  all  eurales  to  proceed  to  elTi'ct  marriages  Ictwccn  flUvM 
without  j.roof  of  the  consent  of  their  masters  •  and  wo  also  forbid  all 
masters  to  force  their  slaves  into  any  marriage  agaijist  tliwii'  will. 

Aur.  9. 

^fhitdren, issued  from  the  marria,ij:e  of  slaves,  sliall  follow  the  condition 
of  tiieir  parents,  and  shall  bcloii^^  to  the  master  of  tho  wife  and  not  of  the 
husband,  if  the  Jiusbaiid  and  wife  have  ditl'ereiil  ttastew. 

AiiT.  10, 

If  tlie  husband  bo  !X  slave,  and  the  wife  a  fro$  woman,  it  19  our  will 
tliat  their  children,  of  whatever  sex  they  jiiay  be,  t^hall  sharo  t!)0  condi- 
tion of  their  mother,  and  be  iis  free  .-is  she,  tiotwithstanding  tho  «ervitude 
of  their  f itJKT ;  and  if  the  father  be  free  and  tho  luothef  a  »h\e,  tho  chil- 
dren shall  all  be  slaves, 

AllT.  11. 
Masters  shall  have  their  Christian  slavca  buried  la  eoBsecrated  ground. 

Aht.  12. 

We  forbid  slaves  to  carry  olTensive  weapons  or  heavy  Btlclcs,  Under  tlie 

penalty  of  being  whipped,  and  of  having  said  Weapons  confiscated  for  tho 


API'KNDIX. 


£39 


fcenofit  of  tlin  person  soiziiifj;  tlin  HiiiiKf.  An  cxi'cjjt.ion  is  miido  in  favor  of 
thoao  sldvcs  wlio  aio  scut  a  liiiiitin!,'  or  a  Hluiotinir  hy  tlwir  inaslc'rH,  ami 
wJui  carry  witli  llniiii  a  written  iicrniis.sion  to  tlial  cfloct,  or  aro  drnW' 
Mkd  by  Homt)  known  mark  or  badgo, 

"Wo  f)r1)u!  sTav(«  Tx'lont^niiif  to  ditli'rcnt  masters  to  fratlior  In  crowdii 
elUii'r  >)y  day  or  l)y  nii^dit,  under  the  |(retext  of  a  we(l<lini(,  or  for  any 
OtluT  cause,  eitlier  at  tli(^  dwelling  or  on  the  Lfrounds  of  onci  of  thi'ir  mas* 
tt  ,  .  or  elsewliore,  and  mucli  less  on  tlie  lii^hways  or  in  Hi-ehided  plaois, 
Bndur  the  |i(inalty  of  coritoral  puiiishnn.'ut,  whieli  shall  not  lie  l('ss  tliaii 
tllO  \vhip.  In  cases  of  frei|iient  olleiises  of  Uks  kind,  tlie  olfendeis  shall  l)t> 
branded  with  tUv.  mark  of  the  llower  dc  luce,  and  tihould  there  he  ai^'Ta- 
VatiuLf  circumstances,  ca|iital  iiunisjiinent  may  he  apjilied,  at  the  discro- 
tioii  of  our  jud^fcs.  We  conunand  all  our  suhjects,  ho  they  olli(!ers  or 
notf  to  seize  all  such  olfendcrs,  to  arn'st  and  conduct  tlioiii  to  prison,  al* 
tLuHgU  Uiere  should  he  jio  JudgnuMit  aj^'ainst  llxiiu, 


AiiT.   14, 


■  Masters  wlio  shall  ho  convicted  of  haviuff  permitted  or  tohsrati'd  sucli 
gatlierin<i;s  as  aforesaid,  composed  of  other  slaves  than  tlKiir  own,  shall  ho 
sentenced,  individually,  to  indcnniify  th('ir  iicitrhhuis  for  the  darnagoi 
Occasioned  by  said  ifathcrini^'s,  and  to  pay,  fir  the  first  time,  a  fine  of 
iLirty  livrcs,  and  double  that  sum  on  the  riipetition  of  the  offense. 


Aiir.  ir,. 


forbid  negroes  to  sell  any  comfunlitics,  provisions,  or  jiroduce  of 
{Py  kind,  without  tlu!  written  permission  of  their  masters,  or  without 
Wearing  their  known  marks  or  liadges,  and  any  persons  purchasing  any 
tiling  from  negroes  in  violation  of  this  article,  shall  bo  sentonccd  to  ])ay  a 
fiwyf  moo  livros. 


Art.  in,  17,  Ih,  jy, 
Brovido  at  length  for  the  clothing  of  slaves  and  for  their  subsistcuco. 

Am.  W. 

Bkvos  wTio  shall  not  ho,  pnjporly  fed,  dad,  and  provided  for  by  thoir 
ma-stors,  may  give  information  thereof  to  the  attorney-general  of  tlu;  Su- 
perior Council,  or  to  ail  the  other  oDiecrs  of  justice  of  an  inferior  jurisdic- 
tion, and  may  Jiut  the  written  exposititjn  of  their  wrongs  into  their  hands; 


540 


APPENDIX. 


upon  wl.ich  information,  nrul  oven  ox  officio,  slioulj  tf.a  infonnfitton  com* 
from  another  qiiartor,  the  attornoy-gononil  sluiU  ])ro,s,.aito  said  inaaten 
witliout  chari^injr  any  costs  to  tlio  complainants.  It  is  onr  will  that  thi« 
rogulaliou  b;.  ohs<.i-v.Hl  ii,  alt  accusations  for  crimes  or  hacbarouit  ttnd  ia- 
liuinaa  treatiuciii  brouo-Jit  by  slaves  against  their  uiastcr.i. 

AuT.  21, 

Flaveg  v/ho  aro  disal)l.Hl  from  workin;,',  either  ly  old  afjc,  iliso.isc,  «r 
otherwise,  he  the  disease  incurable  or  not,  shall  he  fed  aiul^proviilod  «* 
by  their  masters;  .-md  in  case  they  should  have  been  abandoned  l)y  said 
masters,  said  slaves  shall  ho  adjudii;ed  to  tlio  nearest  hospital,  to  which 
Baid  masters  shall  he  Mh^od  to  pay  eight  cents  a  day  for  the  food  and 
maintenance  of  each  one  of  these  slaves;  and  for  the  payment  of  Uli« 
8um,  said  hospital  shall  Lavo  a  iicii  on  tho  plantutiona  of  the  inastoi'. 

AttT.  22. 

Wo  declare  that  slaves  oaii  have  no  vi-lit  to  any  Tiim!  of  pronortjr,  and 
that  all  that  they  acjuin'  .'ither  by  their  own  industry,  or  by  the  liberja- 
ity  of  oth  ;,  uv  by  any  „ther  means  op  title  whatever,  shall  he  the  full 
property  (.f  their  masters;  and  the  chihlren  of  said  slaves,  th.'ir  fiithew 
and  mothers,  their  kindred  or  other  relations,  either  free  or  slaves,  shall 
have  no  pretensions  or  claims  thereto,  either  throuo-h  testamentary  dis- 
positions  or  donations  inter  vivos;  which  dispositions  and  .lonations  wa 
declare  null  and  void,  and  also  whatever  promises  they  may  liave  Jiiado, 
or  whatever  obligations  they  may  have  sul)scribed  to,  as  having  been  cu- 
t^'red  into  by  persons  incapable  of  disposing  of  any  thin',',  und  of  partici- 
pating to  any  contract. 

AiiT.  23. 
Masters  shall  be  responsible  for  what  their  slaves  liavo  tlono  by  their 
command,  and  also  for  what  transaetions  they  liave  permitted  their 
slaves  to  do  in  their  shops,  in  the  particular  lino  of  commerce  with  whick 
they  were  intrusted  ;  and  in  ease  said  slaves  should  liave  acted  without 
the  order  or  authorization  ot  their  masters,  said  masters  shall  be  responsi- 
ble  oidy  for  so  mu.h  as  has  turned  to  their  profit;  and  if  said  masters 
have  not  protiled  by  the  doing  .)r  transaction  of  their  slaves,  the  pirnlinrn 
which  the  masters  have  permitted  tho  slaves  to  o'vn,  shall  he  suhjcctcd  to 
all  claims  against  said  slaves,  after  deduction  aiade  by  the  niasters  of 
what  may  be  duo  to  them  ;  and  if  said  j-eculium  should  consist,  in  wholo 
or  in  part,  of  merchandises  in  which  the  slaves  hail  permission  to  trafli(^ 
the  masters  shall  only  come  in  for  their  share  in  common  with  Uio  other 
creditors. 


APPENDIX. 


541 


AuT.   24, 

Slaves  slmll  1)(>  iiicnpaMc  of  all  imhiic  fuiiotions,  and  of  hciiiir  coiisti- 
tutcd  n<rou\H  fur  finy  otiicr  jurson  than  tlicir  own  inast(Ts,  wilh  powers  to 
inanHf,'(!  or  conduct  any  kind  of  trade  ;  nor  can  they  servo  as  arbitrators 
or  experts;  nor  shall  they  i)n  called  to  u;iv<'  their  testiinony  cither  in  civil 
or  in  criminal  cases,  except  when  it  sliall  Ik!  a  matter  of  necessity,  and 
only  in  (lefault  of  white  people  ;  but  in  no  case  shall  they  he  permitted 
to  serve  .as  witnesses  either  for  or  a>,raitist  lh(;ir  mjistiira. 

Am'.  2.5. 
Slaves  shall  never  he  parties  to  civil  suits,  either  ,as  ])TaIntl(Ts  or  dcAind- 
Jints,  nor  shall  they  he  allowed  to  appear  as  complainants  in  criminal 
cases,  hut  tlieir  niiLst(!rs  shall  have  tlu!  ritrht  to  act  for  them  in  cavil  mat- 
lera,  and  in  criminal  ones,  to  demand  punishment  .and  rep.aratiou  for  such 
outra<,'OH  .and  excesses  as  tiieir  sl.aves  m.iy  have;  sulKa-ed  from. 

AiiT.  20, 

Slaves  may  l)e  prosecuted  erimin.ally,  without  their  masters  hohicf  rnado 
parties  to  th(!  trial,  except  Ihey  should  he  indie te.l  as  accomplices;  anj 
said  slaves  shall  be  tried,  .at  first,  hy  the  judejcs  of  ordinary  jurisdiction, 
if  then!  be  .any,  .and  on  ajipeal,  by  the  Superior  C'ouneil,  witji  the  samo 
rules,  formalities,  and  proceedings  observed  for  free  persons,  save  tho  ex- 
ceptions mentioned  hereafter. 

Art.  27. 

Tlio  slave  who,  havinjf  struck  his  master,  his  mistress,  or  the  liusband 
of  his  mistress,  or  their  children,  sli.all  have  produced  a  bruise,  or  Ibo 
•hcvVliiig  of  blood  iuthe  face,  shall  sull'er  capital  punishment, 

Art.  28. 

With  re!j;ard  to  outr,a,£,'es  or  acts  of  violence  committed  by  slaves  atrainst 
free  persons,  it  is  our  will  that  they  be  punished  with  severity,  and  oveo 
with  death,  should  the  case  require  it. 


Art.  2!), 


Thefts  of  importance,  and  even  the  stealing  of  horses,  mares,  mules, 
oxen,  or  cows,  when  e.xecuti'd  by  slaves  or  manumitted  pi'rsons,  shall 
make  the  ollen<ler  liable  to  corporal,  and  even  to  capital  puni.shincnt,  ac- 
cording to  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 


543 


APPENDIX. 


AuT,  30. 
TFie  stealing:  of  slieep,  goats,  Logs,  poultry,  grain,  fotlili-r,  ])eas,  beans, 
tot  other  vogotables,  produce,  or  provisions,  wiion  conimittcd  by  slaves, 
Bliall  be  punished  acronling  to  the  circumstances  of  tlie  case ;  and  the 
jnd^n's  may  s(!nt..iico  them,  if  necessary,  to  bo  whipped  by  the  public  ex- 
ccutioner,  and  brandud  with  llio  mark  of  the  Jlower  do  Jucy. 


AkT.  31. 

Tn  cases  of  tliofts  committed  or  damages  done  Ly  tlieir  slaves,  masters, 
besides  the  corpcu'al  i)unislimciit  indicted  on  tlu^ir  slaves,  shall  be  bound  to 
make  amends  for  the  injuries  resulting  from  the  acts  of  saia  slaves,  unless 
they  prefer  abandoning  them  to  the  suffiMvr.  'J'hey  shall  be  bound  so  to 
make  their  choice,  in  three  days  from  the  time  of  the  conviction  of  th« 
negroes  j  if  not,  tliis  privilege  shall  bo  forever  forfeited. 

AuT.  82. 
The  runaway  ;iave,  wlio  shall  continue  to  be  so  for  one  month  from  the 
day  of  his  being  denounced  to  the  offievrs  of  justice,  shall  have  his  cars  cut 
ort,  and  shall  be  branded  with  the  ll,jwer  d.3  luce  on  the  should.'r :  and  on 
a  second  offense  of  the  same  nature,  persisted  in  during  one  month  from 
the  day  of  his  being  denounced,  he  shall  be  hamstrung,  and  bo  marked 
with  the  (lower  de  Juco  m  the  other  shoulder.  On  the  third  ollense.  ha 
shall  suffer  deatli. 

AiiT.  33. 
Slaves,  who  sliall  bavo  made  themselves  liable,  to  the  penalty  of  the 
>\bil>,  the  flower  de  luce  brr.nd,  and  ear  cutting,  shall  be  tried,  in  the  last 
resort,  by  the  ordinary  judges  of  th.,  inferior  courts,  and  shall  undergo  the 
sentence  passed  upon  them  without  then;  being  an  appeal  to  the  Superior 
Council,  in  confirmation  or  revrsal  of  jnd-tnent,  notwithstanding  the  arti- 
cle 26th  of  the  present  code,  which  shall  be  applicable  onlv  to  those  jud<r- 
inents  in  which  the  slave  convicted  is  sentenced  to  bo  hamstrun.r  or  to 
suffer  death.  " 

Art.  34. 

Freed  or  free-born  negroes,  who  shall  have  aflbrded  refuse  in  their 
houses  to  fugitive  slaves,  shall  bo  set.tenced  to  pay  to  the  masters  of  said 
slaves,  the  sum  of  thirty  livres  a  day  for  every  day  during  which  they 
shall  have  co.u'oaled  said  fugitives;  and  all  other  free  i)ersons,  .-uilty  of 
the  same  offense,  shall  pay  a  fine  ,>f  teti  livres  a  day  as  aforesaid;  and 
should  the  treed  or  free-born  negroes  not  bo  able  to  pay  the  fine  herein 


Um^ 


APPENDIX. 


543 


spocill..!,  tlu.y  sl.all  Iw  re.lii,:(vl  to  the  coiulition  of  slrivos,  and  he  sold  aa 
such.  Should  the  price  of  the  .sale  e.xce.'d.  the  sun.  inentio.ied  in  tlio 
judjrnieut,  the  surplus  sludl  he  delivered  to  the  iio.spital. 

AuT.  ns. 

_  We  pern.it  our  suhje.'ts  in  this  colony,  who  .nny  have  .slaves  concealed 
III  any  j.l.u',.  whatever,  to  have  the.n  souc,'ht  after  by  such  pe.'sons  and  hi 
such  a  way  as  th,.y  may  iho.m  proper,  or  to  proceed  themselves  to  such 
researches  as  they  may  think  best. 

AiiT.  ao. 

The  Slav.,  who  is  scnt-nced  to  sufli.r  <Ieath  on  the  denunciation  of  his 
maste.-,  shall,  when  tha  n.ast.r  is  nut  an  a.Ton.plice  to  his  crime,  bo  ap- 
ptv.is.d  brlore  Ins  execution  by  hvo  of  the  p,-ineipal  inhabitants  of  the  lo- 
cality, who  shall  be  s,,eeially  appointed  by  th- jndt,^e,  and  the  amount  of 
said  appraisement  shall  b.  paid  to  the  master.  To  raise  this  sum  a  pro- 
portional UiK  shall  Ik,  laid  on  ..very  slave,  and  shall  be  collect.3d  by  tho 
persons  invested  with  that  authority. 

Akt.  ;i7. 

Wo  forbid  all  the  oflicers  of  the  Superior  C.nm.il,  and  all  our  other 

oftic-rs  of  justice  in  this  colony,  U,  tak.>  .any  fees  or  r.reive  any  per.juisites 

"'  .•nminal  suits  ag.iinst  slav.s,  und.-r  the  penally,  in  so  doin^',  of  bein.. 

d.;alt  with  as  guilty  of  extoiti.jn.  '^ 

Art.  38. 
We  alsof.,rbid  all  our  subj..cts  in  this  c.L.ny,  whatever  th..ir  con.lition 
or  rank  may  b.',  to  apply,  ,„,  th,.ir  own  private  authority,  th..  rack  to 
their  slav.'s,  un.I..r  any  p.vtense  wliat,.v.,r,  and  to  mutihite  sai.l  slaves  in 
any  ..n.,  of  th.-ir  limbs,  or  m  any  part  of  their  bo.lies,  „nd(,r  th.-  penalty 
ot  th..  conhscatmn  of  sai.l  slaves;  an.l  sai.l  masl.Ts,  s.,  niUuWw^,  shall  be 
I'abK.  to  a  cri.ninal  pr.os..euti,.n.  W^,  only  p,.rmit  mast..rs,  wh.^n  they 
shall  thmk  that  the  ease  r.-puivs  it,  to  put  their  slav.^s  in  irons,  and  to 
have  them  wliipj.ed  with  rods  or  ropes. 


Art.  30. 

We  command  our  ofHcers  of  justi.;.,  in  this  colony  to  institute  criminal 
process  a,irainst  ma.sters  and  ove.se.Ms  who  shall  have  killed  .,r  muiilated 
their  slaves,  when  in  their  {.ower  an.l  u,Hl..r  their  supervision,  an.l  to  pun- 
ish said  murd..r  aecordino;  to  the  atr„.i!y  of  the  .'innimstances ;  and  in 


544 


Al'PKNDfX. 


If 

ill 


ciuso  tho  o(r.>nso  shall  bo  n  panl.,„,.,l,lo  ono,  wo  ponnit  tl.<>tn  to  parrlnn 
snul  m;..st..rs  .-iiul  ..vors.vrs  wiilu,„t  its  bc'ing  uecossary  to  obt.-iin  fr,„n  its 
Itttors  patuiil  of  pardon. 

Akt.  40. 
Slaws  shall  bo  bo|,l  i,,  law  as  movablos,  and  as  stioh,  tlioy  shall  bo  part 
oflhooomnumity  ofao.it.rsts  i.otwoon  laisban.l  and  wilo  ;  thoy  shall  not 
bo  iiablo  to  bosoi/,Ml  und.rany  niurt,n:a,o-o  wlut.^vor  ;  and  thoy  shall  bo 
ocpially  dividod  anioMH'  th.wo-hoirs  without  admit liuir  iVui.i  any  .mo  of 
s/.id  hoirs  any  olain.  I'onndod  on  prooi,,ut  or  ri-ht  of  priino-onituro,  or 
dowry. 

Akt.  H,  42. 
Are  ontiroly  roiativi;  to  judicial  lornis  ;ind  i.roccodin<'a, 

AitT,  43. 
Husbands  and  wivos  sliall  not  bo  soiz.'d  and  sold  s.^paratoly  whon  be- 
lon^'M.iT  to  tho  sanio  n.astor;  an.l  thoir  ol.ildron,  whon  undor  fourteen 
yoars  ot  a-o,  shall  not  b..  sopanitod  Iron,  thoir  i.arents,  and  snob  soiy.uros 
a.ul  salos  shall  b..  null  .uid  void.  Th..  prosont  artiole  shall  apply  to  vol- 
untary salos,  .and  in  oaso  such  salos  should  lak.i  pi.-,,,,  i„  violation  of  the 
law,  tho  .sollor  shall  bo  .loprivod  of  tho  slavo  ho  has  ill.o'ally  rotainod,  and 
said  slavo  shall  bo  adjudged  tj  tho  purchaser  without  any  additional  prico 
being  n-quirod. 

AitT.  44. 
Slaves,  fourteen  years  old,  .and  from  this  ago  up  to  sixty,  wjio  arc  set- 
tled on  lands  and  plantations,  and  aro  at  present  working  on  them,  shall 
not  be  li.ablo  to  seizure  for  debt,  except  for  what  may  bo  duo  out  of  d,o 
purchase  money  agreed  to  bo  paid  for  them,  unless  said  grounds  or  pl.in- 
tations  should  also  bo  distressed,  and  any  seizure  aiul  judicial  salo  of  a 
real  estate,  without  including  the  slaves  of  tho  aforesaid  age,  who  are  part 
of  said  estate,  sluiU  bo  ileenied  null  and  void. 

Art.  45,  40,  47,  48,  40, 
Aro  relative  to  certain  formalities  to  bo  observed  in  judicial  proceedings. 

Art.  50. 

Masters,  when  twent-tive  years  old,  shall  have  the  power  to  manumit 

their  slaves,  either  by  testamentary  dispositions,  or  by  acts  inter  vivos. 

But,  as  there  may  be  mercenary  m;istors  disposed  to  set  a  price  on  the' 

liberation  of  their  slaves ;  and  whereas  slaves,  with  a  view  to  acquire  the 


APrKNDIX. 


(US 


^«y  moans  to  p.,rcluu,o  tl.oir  frcoJom,  may  f,«  tompt^cl  to  commit 
theft  or  .l..,..ls  of  ,,lu,ul..r,  ,.o  p.rso..,  vvlmtovor  ...ay  bo  his  rank  a,..l  con- 
<  .ti.m.  shall  b..  i,..r.mtU.a  to  set  iV..,  his  slav.s,  without  ol.tai.m.t,^  from 
tho  Su,H.nor  (.ounc.l  a  d.x.reo  of  por.nisHio,.  to  that  ..ll'.ct;  ^vhi..h  n.r.nis- 
Mon  sha  I  1,.  ^rn,,.to,l  without  costH,  wh.m  tho  motivcH  for  th.,  settin-.  fr-o 
of  sai.l  siavos,  ;«si,..,.i(i,.,l  i„  tho  ,,..tition  of  th.  ,n...t<3r,  .shall  appear' l. ml- 
H'.ato  to  th.  tnhunal.  All  a,.t.  f.,r  th.  ornaneipatio,.  of  slavesl  whi.h,  f^.r 
tho  future,  shall  l,o  made  without  this  p.r.nission,  shall  he  „ull ;  and  tho 
•slaves,  so  freed,  shall  not  he  entitled  to  their  freedom;  they  shall,  ou  tha 
contrary,  continue  to  he  hold  as  slaves;  hut  they  shall  ho  tak-n  away 
from  their  iunner  m^ustors,  and  conlisealed  for  tlio  benefit  of  tho  India 
Company, 

AtlT.  51. 
However,  shouh!  slaves  bo  appointed  by  tfieir  mastora  tutors  to  tlielr 
ch.ldren  sa.d  slaves  shall  be  bold  and  ivyardeJ  ..  bcin^j  tleroby  set  free 
to  !ill  nitents  and  purposes.  ^ 

Art.  C2, 

Wo  doolaro  that  tho  acts  for  tho  .nfraneblsnme„t  of  sfave«,  pawrl  «>. 
cord.ns  t«  the  forms  above  described,  shall  bo  e.p.ivalent  to  an  act  of 
na  ural,.at>o,,  when  said  slaves  aro  not  born  in  our  colony  of  I.u.isian.,, 
and  they  shal  ,.n,,,y  all  tho  rights  and  privil,..,.  inl,orent  to  our  subjocti 
born  n.  our  ku.,.lon,,  or  in  any  land  or  cu.ntry  m,de,r  our  dorninioa. 
Wo  declare,  however,  that  all  munumittod  slaves,  and  all  free-born  ne- 
groes, are  mcapabi,,  of  re<.eivin,ir  donations,  eitlxT  by  testamentary  .lispo 

s.  .ons,  or  by  acts  „,ter  vivos   from  tho  vvhit.s.     Said  d ,tions  shall  b« 

nu  1  and  vo,.,  and  the  objects  ho  donated  «hall  bo  applied  to  tbo  b.uefil 
ot  the  nearest  hosj)itaI, 


Art.  53. 
Wc  conunand  all  manumitted  slaves  to  show  tho  profi^undest  resp.ct 
to   he.r  fonner  n..s„.Ps,to  their  widows  and  children,  .Ind  any  injury  on'n 
suit  otlered  by  sa,d  u.anumitted  slaves  to  their  forn.r  m.stL,    1  Jr "id- 
ows  or  c  uldren,  s  all  be  punished  with  n.ore  severity  than  if  i't  ,.      ^  '„ 
o. lered  to  any  ot  er  person.     We,  however,  d.lare  them  exemr.t  fror^ 
the  discharge  of  all  dutio,  or  services,  and  fron.  the  payment  of  .11  . .  e3 
or  fees,  or  any  thu.,  else  which  their  fbrmer  m..ters  mJght,  in  their  ,uX 
.ty  of  patrons,  ..la.n  either  n.  relation  to  their  persons,  or  to  their  personal 
<.r  real  est,.te,  either  dunng  the  life  or  after  the  death  of  said  m..u,umittei 

MM 


54(5 


ArPEi^nix. 


Wo  Errant  to  maiiMmittpcl  slnvis  tlic  sanio  rii,'Iit'!,  privilctfcs,  and  immti. 
nitios  wliirli  aro  ciij.iyt'a  l>v  fVv-ltoni  ihtsohs.  ft  is  (nir  jilcasui'  that 
their  merit  in  Iuiviii}|  ac'iuiu d  their  frecdum,  shall  prodtice  in  their  favor, 
licit  only  witli  n'v'.ird  to  their  persons,  but  also  to  their  projierty,  the  saiiui 
oft'ects  whieh  our  other  suhjocts  derive  f'roin  tho  hapjjy  circuiiistaiice  of 
their  havinii;  Ih'oii  born  fn-e. 

In  tho  name  of  the  kinij. 

JLiiENViLi.Ej  1)k  r.^  CjfAlSK. 
riizende.  Brinle,  Perry,  I 


%HZ  ISO. 


i)  a  1  u  a  b  I  ^   to  0  I'  k  i3i» 

o$  Tifg  ifcrAR  1 MENT*  or 

Bl'^GHAPJlY  AND  IIISIOEY, 

rtlULl.SIIKO  BV 


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<;oiM|,nsm«   Xt..rxf«  ll.o  (Ir.^ai,  Cyrus  thn  <       ,(,  7),„ius  tl,,;  (irr,it, 

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I^«l.t;.l  VM",  l||u,„  |„,,|  Tiii.j.pafTos  and  niiincroi:  lIlM.strai  vc  K,,- 
cach ""'''         '""'  •^^'"''"'' ''"  "'^""'  '-■"'=''  i  Mii>.lin,  gut  odyus,  /r)  cuts 

Lives  oftliG  Queens  of  Seotiiui. 

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Ls-i.     .i  vol,.,   n,,,  hall  '  alf.  m  f.O  ;  .Sheep,  «ti  7.0  ;  iVln.^lin,  «(i  00. 

History  of  the  United  States,  eontinuetl : 

From  the  A.hipno,,  of  tl...  F..,!.  ral  (;onbt.t,it.o..  to  ll.o  Kn.l  of  the 

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Life  and  Writings  of  Cassius  M.  Clay  ; 

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Soutliey's  Life  of  .loliii  Wesley; 

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Life  of  the  Chevalier  Bayard. 

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History  of  Europe, 

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'p 


6         Va/uab/c  WorLs  on  Bioirrnph!,  and  Uislon/, 
Ne;ui(l(M-'s  Life  oj"  Christ  • 

Lives  or(',.|,.|,r,  t,,l  ]ti,tis|,  Statcsnu.n 

Neal's  llistoiy  ortlH>  Piintaiis, 

Lives  of  Eminent  IndividiuiJs 
Halliuii's  ]Tist()i-ic:il  \\^)i-ks- 

History  ol  Fnuic(% 

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Anmvrr.     l..,,..,.  ,\l„.slm,  «tar,^  Ma«k,um.     JM.t,..!  |,y  j,,„„ 

History  of  Chivalry  and  the  Cmsa.los. 

.   ^^y  *■■  '  ■  I-  Jamks.  Ksq,     |.;„.,-avinK.s,     IS,,,,,,  M,,..|,„.  ^r,  .rnts. 

1.1V0S  otJolni  .Inv  and  Alexiind^n-  IliMnilton. 

■:  .'  -...s  K,.:xw,..K,  U    ,.,     J«o,-.n„,,     i8n,o,  AI,ks1,„,  .15  cent,. 

Kollins  Ancient  History 

a  I.ifo  ..(Vi  n     M,         ,      ,    '""'  '^^''''''t't'"  <"  till!  An.-icnis.     \v,i|t 

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Sisinondi's  Literature  oC  the  South  of  Kurope. 

Mosheinfs|.:ee[esiasti;;;i7listo;v     '"''''""' 

ri'""l.''',";,""'  ■^'"''''•"  ■   '"  "■'"'•''  'li'^  Ui^^e,  r','.!riT,s.s,  r.n,l  V-.riuion  nf 


